Shloka 20

Puruṣaikatva-vyākhyāna: The One Virāṭ Puruṣa and the Many ‘Puruṣas’

Rudra–Brahmā Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

अस्य प्रतिप्रियं कार्य सहितैनों दिवौकस: । इति बुद्ध्या व्यवस्याशु गत्वा निश्चयमीश्व॒रा:

Transliteration

asya pratipriyaṁ kārya sahitainō divaukasaḥ | iti buddhyā vyavasyāśu gatvā niścayam īśvarāḥ ||

Translation

قال بهيشما: «إن الآلهة، مع إندرا، أسرعوا إلى عزمٍ راسخ وانطلقوا وهم يدركون: “علينا أن نفعل ما يعود عليه بالنفع جزاءً لمن عمل لخيرنا.”»

Word by Word

• अस्य: of him/this (person)
• अस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• प्रतिप्रियम्: a pleasing return / something agreeable in return
• प्रतिप्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिप्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कार्यम्: a deed; what should be done
• कार्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सहितैः: together with; accompanied by
• सहितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• एनः: sin; offense
• एनः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: एनस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दिवौकसः: the dwellers in heaven; gods
• दिवौकसः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवौकस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• बुद्ध्या: with understanding; by thought
• बुद्ध्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• व्यवस्य: having resolved/decided
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अव + स॑ (धातु: वस्/वस्- ‘to decide’ in causative/denominative usage as व्यवस्यति)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• आशु: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु

• गत्वा: having gone
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• निश्चयम्: a decision; certainty
• निश्चयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ईश्वराः: the lords; the powerful ones
• ईश्वराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Indra
• the gods (divaukasaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should respond to benefaction with a fitting return—recognizing gratitude as a dharmic obligation and acting decisively to repay or uphold the good received.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes the gods, led by Indra, forming a swift and settled decision to go and perform a reciprocal good deed for someone who has benefited them.