Shloka 20
Yajña-bhāga-vyavasthā and the Pravṛtti–Nivṛtti Framework (यज्ञभागव्यवस्था तथा प्रवृत्तिनिवृत्तिधर्मविवेचनम्)
Devanagari script
तत्रोत्तरां दिश॑ं गत्वा शैलराजस्य पार्श्चुत:
Transliteration
tatrottarāṃ diśaṃ gatvā śailarājasya pārśvataḥ
Translation
随后，他朝北方前行，沿着“群山之王”的山侧而去——这是一段有意为之的行旅，由方位与地势所引导；正如以法（dharma）为旨归的叙事常所规定：正道既由地理标识，也由目的昭示。
Word by Word
तत्रthere
तत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र
Formindeclinable (locative adverb)
उत्तराम्northern
उत्तराम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootउत्तर
Formfeminine, accusative, singular
दिशम्direction
दिशम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदिश्
Formfeminine, accusative, singular
गत्वाhaving gone
गत्वा:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootगम्
Formabsolutive (क्त्वा), indeclinable; prior action
शैलराजस्यof the king of mountains
शैलराजस्य:
Sambandha
TypeNoun
Rootशैलराज
Formmasculine, genitive, singular
पार्श्वतःat/by the side
पार्श्वतः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपार्श्वतः
Formindeclinable (ablatival adverb)
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
Ś
Śailarāja (king of mountains)U
Uttarā diś (the northern direction)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights purposeful movement in accordance with direction and setting—an implicit dharmic motif in the Mahābhārata where right conduct is often framed as following an ordered path (diśā, mārga) toward a goal, not wandering aimlessly.
A figure (as narrated by Bhīṣma) travels northward and proceeds along the flank of a great mountain—setting up the next event by locating the action in a specific direction and near a prominent landmark.