Shloka 29

Śara-śayyā-sthita-bhīṣma-saṃvāda-prastāvaḥ

The Prelude to Questioning Bhīṣma on the Bed of Arrows

Devanagari script

यच्च त्वं वक्ष्यसे भीष्म पाण्डवायानुपृच्छते । वेदप्रवाद इव ते स्थास्यते वसुधातले

Transliteration

yac ca tvaṃ vakṣyase bhīṣma pāṇḍavāyānupṛcchate | vedapravāda iva te sthāsyate vasudhātale ||

Translation

Vāyu nói: “Hỡi Bhīṣma, bất cứ điều gì ngươi tuyên thuyết để đáp lời người Pāṇḍava khi chàng hỏi han, sẽ còn lưu lại trên mặt đất này như một lời phán của Veda—được thừa nhận là khuôn phép và dẫn đường cho hạnh đức.”

Word by Word

• yat: whatever (that which)
• yat: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: yad
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: tvad
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• vakṣyase: will say / will speak
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), Second, Singular, Ātmanepada

• bhīṣma: O Bhīṣma
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: bhīṣma
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• pāṇḍavāya: to the Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• pāṇḍavāya: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṇḍava
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• anupṛcchate: when (he) asks / inquiring
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-prach
• Form: Present (Laṭ), Third, Singular, Ātmanepada

• veda-pravādaḥ: a Vedic pronouncement / Vedic doctrine
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda + pravāda
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• iva: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva

• te: of you / your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: tvad
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• sthāsyate: will stand / will remain / will be established
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), Third, Singular, Ātmanepada

• vasudhā-tale: on the surface of the earth
• vasudhā-tale: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasudhā + tala
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• bhīṣma: O Bhīṣma
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: bhīṣma
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• Bhīṣma
• Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Veda
• Vasudhā (earth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma’s forthcoming answers to Yudhiṣṭhira are affirmed as enduring, Veda-like authority—implying that dharma taught by a realized elder, grounded in tradition and lived wisdom, becomes a reliable standard for society.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction-setting, Vāyudeva addresses Bhīṣma and foretells that when Yudhiṣṭhira (the Pāṇḍava) questions him, Bhīṣma’s replies will be accepted on earth like established Vedic doctrine.