Shloka 18

Pātra-Lakṣaṇa and Niścita-Dharma

Marks of a Worthy Recipient and Stable Criteria of Dharma

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच अष्टावक्रस्तथेत्युक्त्वा प्रतिगृह्मु च तां प्रभो । कन्यां परमथधर्मात्मा प्रीतिमांश्नाभवत्‌ तदा

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | aṣṭāvakras tathety uktvā pratigṛhṇu ca tāṃ prabho | kanyāṃ paramadharmātmā prītimān abhavat tadā ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“主上，此后，至为正法之心的阿ष्ट伐克罗说了声‘如是’，便迎娶了那位少女。就在那一刻，他心中充满了巨大的欢喜。”

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अष्टावक्रः: Ashtavakra
• अष्टावक्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टावक्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• इति: so/quoting marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• उक्त्वा: having said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active

• प्रतिगृह्य: having accepted/taken
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (प्रति-ग्रह्)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Active

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• ताम्: her/that (woman)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रभो: O lord
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कन्याम्: the maiden/daughter
• कन्याम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• परम्: supreme/excellent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अथ: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• धर्मात्मा: the righteous-souled one
• धर्मात्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रीतिमान्: joyful/pleased
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीतिमत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभवत्: became/was
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Aṣṭāvakra
• kanyā (the maiden/bride)
• Prabhu (addressed lord, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira in context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic acceptance of a marital union: a righteous person gives assent (“tathāstu”) and formally accepts the maiden, and this alignment with proper conduct brings inner contentment (prīti).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma narrates that Aṣṭāvakra agrees to the proposal and performs the act of accepting the maiden as his wife (pāṇigrahaṇa implied by pratigṛhṇu), after which he feels great joy.