Shloka 32

नक्षत्रेषु श्राद्धफलविधानम् (Śrāddha Outcomes According to Nakṣatras)

Devanagari script

हिरण्यमूर्तिर्भगवानेष एव च पावकि: । सदा कुमारो देवानां सैनापत्यमवाप्तवान्‌

Transliteration

hiraṇyamūrtir bhagavān eṣa eva ca pāvakiḥ | sadā kumāro devānāṁ saināpatyam avāptavān |

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “This very Lord is of golden form and is also the purifying Fire. Ever remaining Kumāra—steadfast in youthful purity—he has attained and holds the office of commander of the gods.”

Word by Word

• हिरण्यमूर्तिः: one whose form is golden
• हिरण्यमूर्तिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यमूर्ति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भगवान्: the blessed/lordly one
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पावकिः: Agni/Fire (Pāvaki)
• पावकिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावकि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• कुमारः: the youth/bachelor (Kumāra)
• कुमारः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सैनापत्यम्: the office of commander-in-chief
• सैनापत्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैनापत्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अवाप्तवान्: having obtained/attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: अवाप्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्तवतुँ (past active participle)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (Bhīṣma)
• Skanda/Kumāra (implied by kumāra and saināpatya of the gods)
• Agni/Fire (Pāvaki)
• Devas (the gods)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links rightful authority with inner purity and disciplined restraint: Skanda’s ‘purifying fire’ nature and perpetual youthful celibacy are presented as the qualities that ground his fitness to lead the gods’ forces, implying that ethical self-mastery supports legitimate power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is describing and praising the deity Skanda (Kumāra), identifying him as radiant (golden-formed) and inherently purifying like fire, and stating that he has obtained the post of commander-in-chief of the gods.