Shloka 15

Devanagari script

ततो<सस्‍्य विधिवच्चक्रुः पितृमेधं महात्मन:

Transliteration

tato 'sya vidhivac cakruḥ pitṛmedhaṃ mahātmanaḥ | apasavyam akurvanta dhṛtarāṣṭramukhāśritāḥ ||

Translation

于是他们依仪轨为大心者毗湿摩举行父祭葬礼（pitṛmedha）。在持国王与诸俱卢显贵的带领下，他们遵行所规定的一切法度，其中包括丧礼所当行的逆向绕行柴堆。就这样，他们以庄严而合礼的方式礼敬这位陨落的长者，即便战祸方歇，仍以正当仪式彰显法（dharma）。

Word by Word

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

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• विधिवत्: according to rule/properly
• विधिवत्: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत्

• चक्रुः: they performed/did
• चक्रुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural

• पितृमेधम्: funeral rite (pitr̥medha)
• पितृमेधम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृमेध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled one
• महात्मनः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अपसव्यम्: counterclockwise (keeping the left side towards)
• अपसव्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपसव्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अकुर्वन्त: they did/they performed
• अकुर्वन्त: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural

• धृतराष्ट्रमुखाश्रिताम्: attended/undertaken by Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the rest (lit. ‘resting on Dhṛtarāṣṭra as foremost’)
• धृतराष्ट्रमुखाश्रिताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र-मुख-आश्रित
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīṣma
• Pāṇḍavas
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Kauravas
• pitṛmedha (funerary rite)
• funeral pyre (citā)
• fire (agni)
• oblations (āhuti)
• Sāma-chanters (Sāmaga brāhmaṇas)
• sandalwood (candana)
• black sandalwood (kālācandana)
• fragrant substances (sugandhi-dravya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even after catastrophic conflict, dharma is upheld through proper conduct toward elders and the dead: performing prescribed rites with sincerity restores moral order, expresses gratitude, and affirms social and spiritual responsibility beyond personal enmity.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Bhīṣma’s passing, the Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas—led by Dhṛtarāṣṭra—carry out his funerary rites in full accordance with ritual law, including the apasavya (counterclockwise) movement appropriate to funeral ceremonies, along with offerings into fire and Vedic chanting.