Shloka 19

Devanagari script

अतूलपूर्ण गाड़्नेयस्त्रिभि्बाणै: समन्वितम्‌ | उपधायोपधानाग्रयं दत्तं गाण्डीवधन्चना,इन गंगानन्दन भीष्मने रुई भरा हुआ तकिया नहीं लिया है। इन्होंने तो गाण्डीवधारी अर्जुनके दिये हुए तीन बाणोंद्वारा निर्मित श्रेष्ठ उपधान (तकिये)-को ही स्वीकार किया है

Transliteration

atūlapūrṇaṃ gāḍhneyas tribhir bāṇaiḥ samanvitam | upadhāyopadhānāgryaṃ dattaṃ gāṇḍīvadhanvanā ||

Translation

毗湿摩波罗衍那说：毗湿摩并未接受填以棉絮的枕头；他反而以阿周那——执持甘狄瓦神弓者——所赠的三支箭所制成的最上头枕为枕。此景彰显他在痛苦中仍守战士之法与清苦的承受：安慰不取于奢华，而取于与其身份及当下庄严相称之物。

Word by Word

अतूलपूर्णम्filled with cotton (wool-like stuffing)

गाढनेयम्to be pressed/used as a cushion; fit for firm support

त्रिभिःwith three

बाणैःby arrows

समन्वितम्provided/formed with; furnished with

उपधायhaving placed (as a support)

उपधानाग्र्यम्the best pillow/cushion

दत्तम्given

गाण्डीवधन्वनाby the wielder of Gāṇḍīva (Arjuna)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bhīṣma

Arjuna

Gāṇḍīva

three arrows (bāṇa)

headrest/pillow (upadhāna)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in extreme pain, Bhīṣma maintains kṣatriya-austerity and dignity: he refuses soft luxury (a cotton pillow) and accepts a headrest consistent with the warrior context—arrows given by Arjuna—showing restraint, self-mastery, and adherence to dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the aftermath of the war (Strī Parva context of grief and consequences), Bhīṣma is being attended to. A cotton-stuffed pillow is not taken; instead, a superior headrest made from three arrows—given by Arjuna, wielder of the Gāṇḍīva—is placed for him.