Shloka 4

Devanagari script

यद्यन्मुण्चति गात्र हि स शान्तनुसुतस्तदा । तत्‌ तद्‌ विशल्यं भवति योगयुक्तस्य तस्य वै

Transliteration

yadyan muñcati gātra hi sa śāntanusutas tadā | tat tad viśalyaṁ bhavati yogayuktasya tasya vai ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：当商多奴之子（毗湿摩）住于瑜伽，令生命之气从一肢又一肢撤离之时，那一肢便立刻无箭——箭杆自行滑出，伤口随即闭合。

Word by Word

• यत्: whatever (which)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• यत्: whatever (which)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• मुञ्चति: releases/lets go
• मुञ्चति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच्
• Form: present, 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

• गात्रम्: limb/body-part
• गात्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्र
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• शान्तनु-सुतः: son of Śāntanu (Bhīṣma)
• शान्तनु-सुतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्तनुसुत
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• तदा: then/at that time
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• तत्: that (correspondingly)
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• विशल्यम्: free of arrows/without barbs
• विशल्यम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशल्य
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• भवति: becomes
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: present, 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

• योग-युक्तस्य: of the one engaged in yoga
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योगयुक्त
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

• तस्य: of him
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

• वै: indeed/verily
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• प्रभो: O lord
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīṣma (Śāntanu-suta)
• Śāntanu
• Yoga (yogic concentration)
• Arrows (śalya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights yogic self-mastery: through concentrated yoga, Bhīṣma can regulate the body’s experience of pain and even the physical effects of injury. Ethically, it underscores steadfastness and disciplined control as supports for dharma, especially in the wake of violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

As Bhīṣma’s life-breath withdraws from each limb, the arrows embedded in that limb automatically come out and the wound heals. The gathered sages witness this as a marvel of Bhīṣma’s yogic absorption.