Shloka 108

Devanagari script

छन्‍्दतो मृत्युरित्येवं तस्य चास्तु वरस्तथा । धारयिष्ये ततः प्राणानुत्सगें नियते सति

Transliteration

chandato mṛtyur ity evaṃ tasya cāstu varas tathā | dhārayiṣye tataḥ prāṇān utsarge niyate sati ||

Translation

“پس ‘موت صرف میری مرضی سے آئے’—یہی وہ ور جوں کا توں قائم رہے۔ لہٰذا جان چھوڑنے کا مقرر لمحہ آنے تک میں اپنے سانسوں کو تھامے رکھوں گا۔”

Word by Word

• छन्दतः: according to (one's) will / at will
• छन्दतः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस्
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• मृत्युः: death
• मृत्युः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इति: thus / saying
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• एवम्: in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• तस्य: of him / his
• तस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अस्तु: let it be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperative, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वरः: boon
• वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: so / likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• धारयिष्ये: I shall hold/retain
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ
• Form: Simple Future, 1st, Singular, Atmanepada

• ततः: then / thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• प्राणान्: life-breaths / vital airs
• प्राणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• उत्सर्गे: at (the time of) relinquishing/abandoning
• उत्सर्गे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्सर्ग
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• नियते: when fixed/appointed
• नियते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• सति: when (it) is / being
• सति: Adhikarana
• Type: Kridanta
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular, present active participle (locative absolute)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• the boon of death-at-will (icchā-mṛtyu)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights self-mastery and fidelity to a vow/boon: life is sustained not by impulse but by disciplined resolve, and death is approached as a consciously accepted, ethically timed act rather than a mere accident.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the war narrative, the speaker reports a resolve to postpone death until the predetermined moment, so that an earlier boon—granting death only by one’s own choice—remains effective and fulfilled.