Shloka 108

Devanagari script

छन्‍्दतो मृत्युरित्येवं तस्य चास्तु वरस्तथा । धारयिष्ये ततः प्राणानुत्सगें नियते सति

Transliteration

chandato mṛtyur ity evaṃ tasya cāstu varas tathā | dhārayiṣye tataḥ prāṇān utsarge niyate sati ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“既已立定此志——‘愿死亡唯在我所择之时到来’——愿那恩赐确然成立而不坠。因此，我将 удерж住生命之息，直到舍离它的既定时刻来临。”

Word by Word

• छन्दतः: according to (one's) will / at will
• छन्दतः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस्
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• मृत्युः: death
• मृत्युः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इति: thus / saying
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• एवम्: in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• तस्य: of him / his
• तस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

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

• अस्तु: let it be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperative, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वरः: boon
• वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: so / likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• धारयिष्ये: I shall hold/retain
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ
• Form: Simple Future, 1st, Singular, Atmanepada

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

• प्राणान्: life-breaths / vital airs
• प्राणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• उत्सर्गे: at (the time of) relinquishing/abandoning
• उत्सर्गे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्सर्ग
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• नियते: when fixed/appointed
• नियते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• सति: when (it) is / being
• सति: Adhikarana
• Type: Kridanta
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular, present active participle (locative absolute)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• the boon of death-at-will (icchā-mṛtyu)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights self-mastery and fidelity to a vow/boon: life is sustained not by impulse but by disciplined resolve, and death is approached as a consciously accepted, ethically timed act rather than a mere accident.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the war narrative, the speaker reports a resolve to postpone death until the predetermined moment, so that an earlier boon—granting death only by one’s own choice—remains effective and fulfilled.