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Shloka 113

Adhyāya 284: Tapas as a Corrective to Household Attachment

Parāśara’s Instruction

आप कामस्वरूप, कामनाओंको पूर्ण करनेवाले, कामदेवके नाशक, तृप्त और अतृप्तका विचार करनेवाले, सर्वस्वरूप, सब कुछ देनेवाले, सबके संहारक और संध्याकालके समान रंगवाले हैं। आपको प्रणाम है ।।

bhīṣma uvāca |

āpa kāmasvarūpaḥ kāmanāḥ pūrayitā kāmadevanāśakaḥ tṛptātṛptavivecakaḥ sarvasvarūpaḥ sarvadātā sarvasaṃhārakaḥ sandhyākālasamānarāgaḥ asi | te namaḥ ||

mahābala mahābāho mahāsattva mahādyute |

mahāmeghacayaprakhya mahākāla namo'stu te ||

قال بهيشما: أنتَ عينُ صورةِ الرغبة—مُتمِّمُ كلِّ الشهوات، ومع ذلك مُهلِكُ إلهِ الرغبة. تُميِّزُ حالَ الشبعِ وعدمِ الشبع؛ أنتَ صورةُ الكلّ، وواهِبُ الكلّ، ومُذيبُ الكلّ. ولونُكَ كلونِ السماءِ عند الغسق. لكَ أنحني. يا ذا البأسِ العظيم، يا قويَّ الساعدَين، يا ذا الجوهرِ العظيم، يا ذا الضياء العظيم—يا مهاكالا، يا من سوادُه كسوادِ كتلةِ السحابِ المتراكمة—لكَ السلامُ والتحية.

महाबलO very strong one
महाबल:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootमहाबल
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
महाबाहोO mighty-armed one
महाबाहो:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootमहाबाहु
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
महासत्त्वO one of great essence/valor
महासत्त्व:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootमहासत्त्व
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
महाद्युतेO one of great splendor
महाद्युते:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootमहाद्युति
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
महामेघचयप्रख्यO one resembling a mass of great clouds
महामेघचयप्रख्य:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootमहामेघचयप्रख्य
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
महाकालO Mahākāla (Great Time/Death)
महाकाल:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootमहाकाल
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
नमःsalutation
नमः:
Karma
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनमस्
Formtrue
अस्तुlet it be
अस्तु:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootअस्
FormImperative, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
तेto you
ते:
Sampradana
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
FormMasculine, Dative, Singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
K
Kāmadeva
M
Mahākāla

Educational Q&A

The verse presents the supreme as both the source of desire and the power that overcomes and dissolves it. Ethically, it implies that dharmic life is not merely about suppressing impulses, but about recognizing a higher governance over desire—seeking fulfillment through alignment with the ultimate, and accepting dissolution (time/death) as part of cosmic order.

In the Śānti Parva setting, Bhishma is instructing and also offering praise. Here he utters a stuti (hymn) addressing the supreme as Mahākāla—depicting an all-giving, all-dissolving reality—thereby framing his teachings on peace, restraint, and right conduct within devotion to the highest principle.