Shloka 35

अध्याय २०८ — इन्द्रियनिग्रहः, सत्याहिंसात्मकवाक्, कर्मफलविवेकः

Restraint of the Senses, Non-harming Truthful Speech, and Discernment of Karmic Consequence

Devanagari script

साक्षिभूता महात्मानो भुवनानां प्रभावना: । एवमेते महात्मान: स्थिता: प्रत्येकशो दिशम्‌,इस प्रकार प्रत्येक दिशामें रहनेवाले सम्पूर्ण तेजस्वी महर्षियोंका वर्णन किया गया। ये महात्मा सम्पूर्ण लोकोंकी सृष्टि करनेमें समर्थ एवं सबके साक्षी हैं। इनका हृदय बड़ा विशाल है। इस तरह ये प्रत्येक दिशामें निवास करते हैं

Transliteration

sākṣibhūtā mahātmāno bhuvanānāṁ prabhāvanāḥ | evam ete mahātmānaḥ sthitāḥ pratyekaśo diśam ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Diese großherzigen Weisen stehen als Zeugen über allem, begabt mit der Macht, die die Welten trägt und hervorbringt. So sind die erhabenen Seher geschildert: ein jeder weilt in seiner eigenen Himmelsrichtung, weit von Herzen, fest in seinem Stand und wachend über die Ordnung der Schöpfung.“

Word by Word

{'sākṣibhūtāḥ''having become witnesses

serving as impartial observers', 'mahātmānaḥ''great-souled ones

exalted sages', 'bhuvanānām''of the worlds

of the realms of existence', 'prabhāvanāḥ''powerful in manifestation

capable of sustaining/bringing forth (the worlds)', 'evam''thus

in this manner', 'ete''these', 'sthitāḥ': 'standing

abiding', 'pratyekaśaḥ''severally

each in his own way/portion', 'diśam''in a direction

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

mahātmānaḥ (great sages)

bhuvanāni (the worlds)

diśaḥ (the directions/quarters)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and metaphysical idea that great sages function as impartial witnesses and stabilizing powers within the cosmos—each stationed in a specific quarter—supporting dharma by their presence, insight, and vast-heartedness.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva, Bhishma continues a structured description of exalted seers associated with the directions. This verse serves as a summary statement: the sages have been enumerated as radiant, world-sustaining, and witness-like beings, each abiding in his respective direction.