Shloka 23
Bhīṣma’s Counsel on Reconciliation and Partition (भीष्मोपदेशः—संधि-राज्यविभागविचारः)
Devanagari script
ततो द्वैपायनस्तस्मै नरेन्द्राय महात्मने । आचख्यौ तद् यथा धर्मो बहूनामेकपत्निता
Transliteration
tato dvaipāyanas tasmai narendrāya mahātmane | ācakhyau tad yathā dharmo bahūnām ekapatnitā ||
Translation
随后，岛生者（毗耶娑）向那位大心的君王阐明此事中正法的立场：即对许多男子而言，唯娶一妻（亦即一夫一妻之制）被视为合乎规范、并为法所许可的行持。
Word by Word
ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
द्वैपायनःDvaipayana (Vyasa)
द्वैपायनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootद्वैपायन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तस्मैto him
तस्मै:
Sampradana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Dative, Singular
नरेन्द्रायto the king
नरेन्द्राय:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootनरेन्द्र
FormMasculine, Dative, Singular
महात्मनेto the great-souled (one)
महात्मने:
Sampradana
TypeAdjective
Rootमहात्मन्
FormMasculine, Dative, Singular
आचख्यौtold, narrated
आचख्यौ:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-चक्ष्
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
तत्that (matter)
तत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
यथाas, according to how
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
धर्मःdharma, law, right conduct
धर्मः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
बहूनाम्of many
बहूनाम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootबहु
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural
एकपत्निताthe state of having one wife (monogamy)
एकपत्निता:
TypeNoun
Rootएकपत्निता
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
D
Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa)N
narendra (the king)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Vyāsa frames marital conduct in terms of dharma, stating that the accepted norm for many men is ekapatnitā—having one wife—presented as ethically sanctioned behavior.
Vaiśampāyana reports that Vyāsa addresses a king and explains the dharmic principle relevant to the situation, specifically the rule concerning one-wife marriage.