ज्योतिर्भूत: परमोडसौ पुरस्तात् प्रकाशते यत्प्रभया विश्वरूप: । अप: सृष्टवा सर्वभूतात्मयोनि: पुराकरोत् सर्वमेवाथ विश्वम्
jyotirbhūtaḥ paramo 'sau purastāt prakāśate yatprabhayā viśvarūpaḥ | apaḥ sṛṣṭvā sarvabhūtātmayoniḥ purākarot sarvamevātha viśvam ||
Bhīṣma said: He, the supreme Light, appears in the eastern quarter, assuming the Universal Form; by his radiance the whole world is illumined. He is the womb and inner Self of all beings. In ancient time, having first brought forth the waters, he then produced the entire universe.
भीष्म उवाच
The verse teaches that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme, all-illuminating divine principle—the inner Self and source of all beings. Recognizing this cosmic origin supports dharma: reverence for life, humility, and devotion grounded in the unity of creation.
Bhīṣma is praising and theologizing Kṛṣṇa, describing him in cosmic terms: appearing like the sun in the east, illuminating the world, and being the primordial creator who first produced the waters and then the universe.