Shloka 11

Devanagari script

आजहुर्ऋतवश्चापि सुगन्धीनि पृथक्‌ पृथक्‌ । तस्मिन्‌ देवसमावाये सर्वभूतसमागमे,कुन्तीनन्दन! तदनन्तर एक दिन जब ऋषि, गन्धर्व, किन्नर, नाग, राक्षस, देवता, असुर, गरुड़ और प्रजापतिगण ब्रह्माजीकी सेवामें उपस्थित थे, नारद, पर्वत, विश्वावसु, हाहा और हूृहू नामक गन्धर्व जब दिव्य तान छेड़कर गाते हुए वहाँ उन भगवान्‌ ब्रह्माजीकी उपासना करते थे, वायुदेव दिव्य पुष्पोंकी सुगन्‍न्ध लेकर बह रहे थे, पृथक्‌ू-पृथक्‌ ऋतुएँ भी उत्तम सौरभसे युक्त दिव्य पुष्प भेंट कर रही थीं, देवताओंका समाज जुटा था, समस्त प्राणियोंका समागम हो रहा था, दिव्य वाद्योंकी मनोरम ध्वनि गूँज रही थी तथा दिव्यांगनाओं और चारणोंसे वह समुदाय घिरा हुआ था, उसी समय देवराज इन्द्रने देवेश्वर ब्रह्माजीको प्रणाम करके पूछा---

Transliteration

ājahuḥ ṛtavaś cāpi sugandhīni pṛthak pṛthak | tasmin deva-samāvāye sarva-bhūta-samāgame, kuntī-nandana |

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “Even the seasons, each in its own distinct manner, offered fragrant gifts. In that grand convocation of the gods—where all beings had assembled, O son of Kuntī—(the celestial gathering was filled with auspicious offerings and reverent attendance).”

Word by Word

आtowards; (prefix) in/unto

जहुḥthey offered / presented

ऋतवःthe seasons

चand

अपिalso

सुगन्धीनिfragrant (things/offerings)

पृथक्separately

पृथक्each separately

तस्मिन्in that

देव-समावायेin the assembly/gathering of gods

सर्व-भूत-समागमेin the gathering of all beings

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Yudhiṣṭhira (Kuntīnandana)

Ṛ

ṛtavaḥ (the seasons)

deva-samāvāya (assembly of gods)

sarva-bhūta-samāgama (gathering of all beings)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights cosmic harmony and reverence: even impersonal forces like the seasons participate in sacred offering, suggesting that dharma includes aligning one’s actions with the larger order and honoring what is worthy of worship.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes a vast celestial gathering where gods and all beings assemble; as part of the auspicious scene, the seasons themselves present fragrant offerings, setting a solemn, devotional atmosphere for what follows.