Shloka 19

नक्षत्रेषु श्राद्धफलविधानम् (Śrāddha Outcomes According to Nakṣatras)

Devanagari script

पीनांसं द्वादशभुजं पावकादित्यवर्चसम्‌ | शयानं शरगुल्मस्थं दृष्टवा देवा: सहर्षिभि:

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | pīnāṃsaṃ dvādaśabhujaṃ pāvakādityavarcasaṃ | śayānaṃ śaragulmāsthaṃ dṛṣṭvā devāḥ saharṣibhiḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma said: Seeing that child—broad-shouldered, twelve-armed, radiant like fire and the sun—lying asleep amid a clump of reeds, the gods together with the sages were filled with joy. Their hearts became certain that Tārakāsura would now be slain, and thereafter the gods began to offer him gifts of things dear to them.

Word by Word

• पीनांसम्: broad/strong (shouldered)
• पीनांसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीन (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• द्वादशभुजम्: twelve-armed
• द्वादशभुजम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादशभुज (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पावकादित्यवर्चसम्: having the radiance of fire and the sun
• पावकादित्यवर्चसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पावकादित्यवर्चस् (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शयानम्: lying down
• शयानम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शी (धातु) → शयान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, शतृ/शानच्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शरगुल्मस्थम्: situated in a clump of reeds
• शरगुल्मस्थम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरगुल्मस्थ (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)

• ऋषिभिः: with sages
• ऋषिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Devāḥ (gods)
• Ṛṣayaḥ (sages)
• Kumāra (the divine child, i.e., Skanda/Kārttikeya in context)
• Śara-gulma (clump of reeds)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When dharma is threatened, the tradition portrays divine support arising in due time: the gods and sages recognize auspicious signs, cultivate confidence, and respond with reverence and offerings—modeling faith, gratitude, and readiness to uphold cosmic order.

What is happening in the narrative?

The gods and sages behold the divine child Kumāra (Skanda) sleeping in a reed-thicket, marked by extraordinary radiance and many arms (and, in the surrounding passage, multiple faces and eyes). Rejoicing, they become certain that he will defeat Tārakāsura, and they begin presenting him with cherished gifts.