Shloka 7
Rudra-Śiva: Names, Two Natures, and the Logic of Epithets (रुद्रनाम-बहुरूपत्व-प्रकरणम्)
मेरा पश्चिमवाला मुख सौम्य है और सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंको सुख देनेवाला है तथा दक्षिण दिशावाला भयानक मुख रौद्र है, जो समस्त प्रजाका संहार करता है ।।
paścimavālaṁ mukhaṁ me saumyaṁ ca sarvaprāṇisukhapradam | dakṣiṇadiśāvālaṁ bhayānakaṁ mukhaṁ raudraṁ ca yat samastaprajāsaṁhārakam || jaṭilo brahmacārī ca lokānāṁ hitakāmyayā | devakāryārthasiddhyarthaṁ pinākaṁ me kare sthitam ||
Bhishma said: “My western-facing countenance is gentle, bringing happiness to all beings; but my southern-facing countenance is dreadful and wrathful, bringing destruction upon all creatures. For the welfare of the worlds I abide in the guise of a matted-haired celibate ascetic; and for the accomplishment of the gods’ purpose, the bow Pināka ever remains in my hand.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents a dharmic model of power held in restraint: benevolence is offered to protect and nourish beings, while fierceness is reserved for necessary destruction in service of cosmic order and the gods’ purpose. Ascetic discipline (brahmacarya) is shown as compatible with decisive action when undertaken for lokahita (the welfare of the world).
The speaker describes having two contrasting aspects—gentle and welfare-giving in one direction, terrifying and destructive in another—and explains that he maintains an ascetic guise for the good of the worlds while keeping the weapon Pināka ready to fulfill divine objectives.