Shloka 97

Devanagari script

उत्तरायणमन्विच्छन्‌ भीष्म: कुरुपितामह: । तस्य तन्मतमाज्ञाय गंगा हिमवतः सुता

Transliteration

uttarāyaṇam anvicchan bhīṣmaḥ kurupitāmahaḥ | tasya tanmatam ājñāya gaṅgā himavataḥ sutā

Translation

三阇耶说道：“库鲁族的祖父毗湿摩，希求太阳吉祥的北行（乌塔罗耶那），便将心志系于那一时刻。洞悉其意，喜马伐特之女恒河也随之作出回应。”

Word by Word

• उत्तरायणम्: the northern course (of the sun); Uttarayana
• उत्तरायणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तरायण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अन्विच्छन्: seeking, desiring
• अन्विच्छन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-इष्
• Form: Present (Shatru participle), Singular

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

• कुरुपितामहः: the grandsire of the Kurus
• कुरुपितामहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुपितामह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• तत्: that (intention/decision)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मतम्: opinion, resolve, intention
• मतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आज्ञाय: having known, understanding
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ज्ञा
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• गङ्गा: Ganga
• गङ्गा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• हिमवतः: of Himavat (the Himalaya)
• हिमवतः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सुता: daughter
• सुता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Kuru lineage (Kurus)
• Gaṅgā
• Himavat (Himalaya)
• Uttarāyaṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic composure and intentionality at life’s end: Bhīṣma waits for an auspicious, ritually significant time (uttarāyaṇa), showing mastery over desire and fear, and aligning personal resolve with sacred order (kāla).

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Bhīṣma, lying on the bed of arrows, is waiting for the onset of uttarāyaṇa to depart. Gaṅgā, his divine mother, understands his resolve and is implied to act or appear in accordance with his intention.