Shloka 7

Adhyāya 69: Strategic duels under Bhīṣma’s command

Virāṭa–Bhīṣma; Arjuna–Aśvatthāmā; Bhīma–Duryodhana; Abhimanyu–Lakṣmaṇa

Devanagari script

तेनास्मि कृतसंवाद: प्रसन्नेन सुरर्षभा: । जगतोनुग्रहार्थाय याचितो मे जगत्पति:

Transliteration

tenāsmi kṛtasaṃvādaḥ prasannena surarṣabhāḥ | jagato'nugrahārthāya yācito me jagatpatiḥ ||

Translation

“Thus, O best of the gods, I have held this dialogue with the gracious Lord. The Master of the universe himself requested me to speak, for the welfare and uplift of the world.”

Word by Word

तेनby him/therefore

अस्मिI am

कृतसंवादःone who has held a conversation

प्रसन्नेनwith the gracious/pleased (one)

सुरर्षभाःO best of gods (vocative sense intended)

जगतःof the world

अनुग्रहार्थायfor the sake of favoring (it)

याचितःwas requested/entreated

मेby me/of me

जगत्पतिःthe Lord of the world

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Jagatpati (Lord of the world)

Surarṣabhāḥ (best of the gods)

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?

Sacred instruction is presented not for personal display but for lokānugraha—benefiting the world. The speaker frames the discourse as undertaken at the request of the Jagatpati, emphasizing humility, divine sanction, and the ethical purpose of teaching.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses exalted listeners (‘best of the gods’) and explains that he has completed a dialogue with a gracious divine Lord. He states that the Lord of the universe requested him to speak for the world’s welfare, thereby legitimizing and contextualizing the discourse.