Shloka 19

Bhīmasya paruṣa-vākyaṃ

Bhīma’s Harsh Speech Heard by Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Gāndhārī

Devanagari script

गते भगवति व्यासे राजा पाण्डुसुतस्तदा । प्रोवाच पितरं वृद्ध मन्दं मन्दमिवानत:

Transliteration

gate bhagavati vyāse rājā pāṇḍusutastadā | provāca pitaraṃ vṛddha mandaṃ mandamivānataḥ ||

Translation

毗舍波耶那说：当受人敬奉的毗耶娑离去之后，国王——般度之子——便向年迈的父亲开口。只见他谦恭俯首，语声轻柔缓慢，仿佛压低了嗓音，处处顾念敬畏与克制。

Word by Word

• गते: when (he) had gone
• गते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत (√गम्)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• भगवति: in/when the venerable one
• भगवति: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• व्यासे: Vyāsa
• व्यासे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पाण्डु-सुतः: son of Pāṇḍu
• पाण्डु-सुतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डुसुत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• प्रोवाच: said, spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √वच्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

• पितरम्: to the father / the father
• पितरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वृद्धम्: aged, old
• वृद्धम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मन्दम्: slowly, gently
• Type: Adverb
• Root: मन्द

• मन्दम्: slowly, gently
• Type: Adverb
• Root: मन्द

• इव: as if, like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• आनतः: bowed down, having bowed
• आनतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आनत (आ + √नम्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Vyāsa
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Pāṇḍusuta, the king)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (the aged father)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic conduct through humility and reverence: even a victorious king restrains his speech, bows, and addresses an elder gently, showing that ethical authority is expressed through self-control and respect.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the sage Vyāsa leaves, Yudhiṣṭhira turns to his aged uncle-father Dhṛtarāṣṭra and speaks to him in a subdued, gentle manner, bowing as he addresses him.