Shloka 4
Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu
Gṛhastha-Vrata
Devanagari script
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । यथा मृत्युर्गहस्थेन धर्ममाश्रित्य निर्जित:
Transliteration
bhīṣma uvāca | atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam | yathā mṛtyur gṛhasthena dharmam āśritya nirjitaḥ |
Translation
毗湿摩说道：“此处亦有一则古老的史传为证——讲的是一位居家之人依止达摩，如何战胜死神。”
Word by Word
भीष्मःBhishma
भीष्मः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभीष्म
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormPerfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular
अत्रhere, in this context
अत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअत्र
अपिalso
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
उदाहरन्तिthey cite, they relate (as an example)
उदाहरन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootउद्-आ-हृ
FormPresent, Third, Plural
इमम्this
इमम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
इतिहासम्story, historical account
इतिहासम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootइतिहास
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
पुरातनम्ancient
पुरातनम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootपुरातन
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
यथाhow, in what manner; as
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
मृत्युःdeath
मृत्युः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्यु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
गृहस्थेनby a householder
गृहस्थेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootगृहस्थ
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
धर्मम्dharma, righteousness
धर्मम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
आश्रित्यhaving resorted to, relying on
आश्रित्य:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-श्रि
FormAbsolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada usage
निर्जितःconquered, overcome
निर्जितः:
TypeVerb
Rootनि-√जि (जि)
FormPast Passive Participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhishmaD
Death (Mṛtyu)A
a householder (gṛhastha)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Dharma, when sincerely relied upon and practiced, is presented as a power that can overcome even the fear and inevitability of death—at least in the sense of moral victory and spiritual mastery.
Bhishma introduces an old illustrative story (itihāsa) to support his instruction: he will recount how a certain householder, by taking refuge in dharma, achieved victory over Death.