Shloka 23

Adhyāya 69: Strategic duels under Bhīṣma’s command

Virāṭa–Bhīṣma; Arjuna–Aśvatthāmā; Bhīma–Duryodhana; Abhimanyu–Lakṣmaṇa

Devanagari script

एवं विदित्वा तत्त्वार्थ लोकानामीश्ररेश्वर: । वासुदेवो नमस्कार्य: सर्वलोकै: सुरोत्तमा:,'सुरश्रेष्ठटण! इस प्रकार तात्चिक वस्तुको समझकर सब लोगोंको लोकेश्वरोंके भी ईश्वर भगवान्‌ वासुदेवको नमस्कार करना चाहिये”

Transliteration

evaṁ viditvā tattvārthaṁ lokānām īśvareśvaraḥ | vāsudevo namaskāryaḥ sarvalokaiḥ surottamaḥ ||

Translation

O Ihr Erhabensten unter den Göttern! Nachdem man so die wahre Wirklichkeit und den Sinn der Dinge erkannt hat, sollen alle Menschen sich ehrfürchtig vor Vāsudeva verneigen—dem höchsten Herrn über die Herren der Welten—dem Erhabensten unter den Göttern.

Word by Word

एवम्thus, in this manner

विदित्वाhaving known

तत्त्वार्थम्the true meaning/reality (essential import)

लोकानाम्of the worlds / of people

ईश्वर-ईश्वरःthe Lord of (other) lords

वासुदेवःVasudeva (Krishna)

नमस्कार्यःworthy to be saluted / should be saluted

सर्वलोकैःby all worlds / by all people

सुरोत्तमाःthe best of the gods

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)

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?

True understanding (tattvārtha) should lead to reverence: recognizing Vāsudeva as the supreme Lord, one ought to offer respectful salutation. Knowledge is presented as incomplete if it does not transform conduct into humility and devotion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is speaking and, in a didactic tone, directs the audience toward acknowledging Vāsudeva’s supreme status. The verse functions as a theological affirmation within the broader Bhīṣma Parva context, urging universal reverence for Kṛṣṇa.