Shloka 18

Mahāvasu’s Fall by Speech-Error and Release through Devotion (अज-विवादः वसोः शापः विमोचनं च)

Devanagari script

त॑ महात्मा स्वयं प्रीत्या देव्या सह महाद्युति:

Transliteration

taṁ mahātmā svayaṁ prītyā devyā saha mahādyutiḥ

Translation

قال بهيشما: «إن ذلك العظيم الروح، الباهر الضياء، بدافع مودّته هو، تولّى الأمر بنفسه، ومعه الإلهة.»

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महात्मा: the great-souled one
• महात्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्

• प्रीत्या: with affection / out of love
• प्रीत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• देव्या: with the goddess / with the divine lady
• देव्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• सह: together with
• सह: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• महाद्युतिः: of great splendor
• महाद्युतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाद्युति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• mahātmā (a great-souled person)
• devī (goddess)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that truly noble action arises from prīti (goodwill) and is aligned with divine support (devyā saha), implying that ethical conduct is strengthened when personal intention is benevolent and harmonized with higher, dharmic order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes a great, radiant figure who personally undertakes an act, accompanied by a goddess—suggesting a moment where a significant decision or intervention is carried out with affectionate intent and divine association.