Shloka 203

भीष्मदर्शनार्थं प्रस्थानम्

Departure to Behold Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

मेघघोषै रथवरै: प्रययुस्ते नरर्षभा: । रथपर बैठे-बैठे ही उन सबने बातचीत की

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | meghaghoṣai rathavaraiḥ prayayus te nararṣabhāḥ |

Translation

毗湿摩波罗衍那说道：“那些如雄牛般的豪杰，乘着上等战车启程而去；车声沉浑，宛如雷云轰鸣。他们端坐车上相互交谈，又以礼相问彼此安康，并问昨夜是否安适。随后，这些人中之杰便驾着如云雷般轰响的良车，从那里出发前行。”

Word by Word

• मेघघोषैः: with cloud-thundering (i.e., thunderous) [ones]
• मेघघोषैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेघघोष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• रथवरैः: with excellent chariots
• रथवरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथवर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• प्रययुः: they went forth / departed
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (प्र + या)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नरर्षभाः: bulls among men / best of men
• नरर्षभाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• excellent chariots (rathavarāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights cultured conduct (sadācāra): even powerful men maintain mutual respect, inquire after one another’s welfare, and proceed with discipline—an ethical tone consistent with Śānti Parva’s emphasis on right conduct and social harmony.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that the foremost men depart from the place in splendid chariots whose sound is likened to thunderclouds; before leaving, they converse and exchange well-being inquiries about the night’s comfort.