Shloka 23

Bhīṣma–Śiśupāla-saṃvādaḥ

Bhishma and Shishupala’s exchange in the assembly

Devanagari script

तां त्वयापि हतां भीष्म कन्यां नैषितवान्‌ यतः । भ्राता विचित्रवीर्यस्ते सतां मार्गमनुछित:

Transliteration

tāṃ tvayāpi hatāṃ bhīṣma kanyāṃ naiṣitavān yataḥ | bhrātā vicitravīryas te satāṃ mārgam anucchitaḥ ||

Translation

Hỡi Bhīṣma, dẫu ngươi đã mang nàng thiếu nữ ấy đi, em trai ngươi là Vicitravīrya vẫn không nhận nàng làm vợ, bởi chàng gắn bó với con đường chính trực mà bậc hiền thiện gìn giữ.

Word by Word

• ताम्: that (her)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Instrumental, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• हताम्: seized/forcibly taken (lit. struck)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• भीष्म: O Bhishma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कन्याम्: maiden/princess
• कन्याम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• एषितवान्: desired/sought
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यतः: because/since
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः

• भ्राता: brother
• भ्राता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विचित्रवीर्यः: Vichitravirya
• विचित्रवीर्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचित्रवीर्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ते: your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• सताम्: of the good/virtuous
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• मार्गम्: path/way
• मार्गम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अनुचितः: conforming to/following
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुचित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भीष्म: O Bhishma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

शिशुपाल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Śiśupāla
• Vicitravīrya
• Kāśirāja
• Kāśī (implied by Kāśirāja)
• the Kāśi princess (kanyā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ethical legitimacy in marriage: even if a woman is obtained by force, a righteous person should not accept what violates the moral path of the virtuous (satām mārga).

What is happening in the narrative?

Śiśupāla addresses Bhīṣma, accusing him regarding the abduction of a Kāśi princess and asserting that Vicitravīrya refused to marry her because he adhered to righteous conduct.