Shloka 18

Bhīṣma’s Retrospective of the Jāmadagnya Rāma Encounter

Divyāstra-Pratiyuddha and Twilight Cessation

Devanagari script

ततोऊहं स्वयमुद्यम्य हयांस्तान्‌ वातरंहस: । अयुध्यं जामदग्न्येन निवृत्तेडहनि भारत

Transliteration

tato ’haṁ svayam udyamya hayāṁs tān vātarāṁhasaḥ | ayudhyaṁ jāmadagnyena nivṛtte ’hani bhārata ||

Translation

భారతా! అనంతరం నేను స్వయంగా వాయువేగముగల ఆ గుర్రాలను అదుపులోకి తెచ్చుకొని జమదగ్నినందన పరశురామునితో యుద్ధమునకు దిగితిని. అప్పటికి దినము దాదాపు ముగియుచుండెను.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: avyaya

• ऊहम्: I
• ऊहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: gender: (common), case: nominative, number: singular

• स्वयम्: personally, myself
• स्वयम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्
• Form: avyaya

• उद्यम्य: having restrained/controlled, having taken in hand
• उद्यम्य: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-यम्
• Form: absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), voice: parasmaipada, indeclinable

• हयान्: horses
• हयान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय
• Form: gender: masculine, case: accusative, number: plural

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: gender: masculine, case: accusative, number: plural

• वातरंहसः: wind-swift (very fast)
• वातरंहसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वातरंहस्
• Form: gender: masculine, case: nominative, number: plural

• अयुध्यम्: fighting, engaging in battle
• अयुध्यम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: present active participle (शतृ), gender: masculine, case: nominative, number: singular

• जामदग्न्येन: with Jamadagni's son (Paraśurāma)
• जामदग्न्येन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जामदग्न्य
• Form: gender: masculine, case: instrumental, number: singular

• निवृत्ते: when (it was) ended/ceased
• निवृत्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-वृत्
• Form: past passive participle (क्त), gender: masculine/neuter, case: locative, number: singular

• अहनि: in the day; as the day
• अहनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन्
• Form: gender: neuter, case: locative, number: singular

• भारत: O Bhārata
• भारत: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: gender: masculine, case: vocative, number: singular

• भारत: O Bhārata!
• भारत: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: gender: masculine, case: vocative, number: singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Jāmadagnya Paraśurāma
• horses

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness in duty: even as the day wanes, Bhīṣma maintains discipline (controlling the horses) and commitment to the obligations of a warrior, suggesting that righteous resolve requires both inner control and outward courage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma narrates that he personally restrains his wind-swift horses and then fights Paraśurāma (Jāmadagnya). The battle is occurring late in the day, with daylight nearly over.