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Shloka 38

अम्बा–राम–भीष्म संवादः

Amba–Rama–Bhishma Dialogue on Vow and Refuge

प्रणम्य तमहं मूर्थ्ना भूयो ब्राह्मणसत्तमम्‌ । अब्रुवं कारणं कि तद्‌ यत्‌ त्वं युद्ध मयेच्छसि,तब मैंने उन ब्राह्मणशिरोमणिके चरणोंमें मस्तक झुकाकर पुनः प्रणाम किया और इस प्रकार पूछा--“भगवन्‌! क्‍या कारण है कि आप मेरे साथ युद्ध करना चाहते हैं? बाल्यावस्थामें आपने ही मुझे चार प्रकारके धरनुर्वेदकी शिक्षा दी है। महाबाहु भार्गव! मैं तो आपका शिष्य हूँ"

praṇamya tam ahaṃ mūrdhnā bhūyo brāhmaṇasattamam | abruvaṃ kāraṇaṃ kiṃ tad yat tvaṃ yuddham icchasi ||

تب میں نے اس برہمنِ برتر کے قدموں میں سر جھکا کر پھر پرنام کیا اور عرض کیا—“بھگون! آپ جنگ کیوں چاہتے ہیں؟ اس کی وجہ کیا ہے؟”

praṇamyahaving bowed (saluted)
praṇamya:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootpra-√nam
Formlyap (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage)
tamhim
tam:
Karma
TypePronoun
Roottad
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
ahamI
aham:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootasmad
Formnominative, singular
mūrdhnāwith (my) head
mūrdhnā:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootmūrdhan
Formmasculine, instrumental, singular
bhūyaḥagain, once more
bhūyaḥ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootbhūyaḥ
brāhmaṇa-sattamamthe best of Brahmins
brāhmaṇa-sattamam:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootbrāhmaṇa + sattama
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
abruvamI said
abruvam:
TypeVerb
Root√brū
Formimperfect (laṅ), 1st, singular, parasmaipada
kāraṇamthe reason, cause
kāraṇam:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootkāraṇa
Formneuter, accusative, singular
kimwhat?
kim:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootkim
Formneuter, accusative, singular
tatthat
tat:
TypePronoun
Roottad
Formneuter, nominative, singular
yatwhich, that (relative)
yat:
TypePronoun
Rootyad
Formneuter, nominative, singular
tvamyou
tvam:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootyuṣmad
Formnominative, singular
yuddhambattle, fighting
yuddham:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootyuddha
Formneuter, accusative, singular
icchasiyou desire, wish
icchasi:
TypeVerb
Root√iṣ (icch)
Formpresent (laṭ), 2nd, singular, parasmaipada

राम उवाच

R
Rama (speaker)
B
Brāhmaṇasattama (the foremost Brahmin, addressed)
B
Bhārgava (epithet of Paraśurāma, implied by context)

Educational Q&A

Even amid impending violence, dharma begins with humility and inquiry: the disciple first offers reverence to the teacher and seeks the ethical reason behind conflict, highlighting the tension between gratitude to one’s guru and the demands of kṣatriya duty.

Rāma respectfully bows again to the revered Brahmin (understood as the Bhārgava teacher) and asks why he wants to fight, reminding him that he had taught Rāma the arts of archery in youth—thus framing the coming battle as a painful guru–disciple confrontation.