Shloka 20

Adhyāya 70: Sātyaki’s Arrow-Display and the Bhūriśravas Engagement; Twilight Withdrawal

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मभूतममावास्यां पौर्णमास्यां तथैव च । योगभूतं परिचरन्‌ केशवं महदाप्लुयात्‌

Transliteration

brahmabhūtam amāvāsyāṁ paurṇamāsyāṁ tathaiva ca | yogabhūtaṁ paricaran keśavaṁ mahad āpluyāt ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “On the new-moon night and likewise on the full-moon night, the person who is devoted to austerity—observing self-restraint and disciplined vows—worships Keśava, who is the refuge of all embodied beings and who is of the nature of Brahman and Yoga, attains the supreme state.”

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मभूतम्: as Brahman-natured / Brahman-formed
• ब्रह्मभूतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मभूत (ब्रह्म + भूत)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अमावास्याम्: on the new-moon day
• अमावास्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमावास्या
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• पौर्णमास्याम्: on the full-moon day
• पौर्णमास्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर्णमासी
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• तथा: likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

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

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

• योगभूतम्: as Yoga-natured / Yoga-formed
• योगभूतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योगभूत (योग + भूत)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परिचरन्: worshipping / serving
• परिचरन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + चर्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• केशवम्: Keshava (Vishnu/Krishna)
• केशवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महत्: the great (state/goal)
• महत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आप्लुयात्: would attain / may reach
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + प्लु
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Optative (potential), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Keśava (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)
• Amāvāsyā (new moon)
• Paurṇamāsī (full moon)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that disciplined devotion—especially worship of Keśava with tapas, self-restraint, and observance of vows—leads to the highest spiritual attainment (the supreme state).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is instructing about religious practice and spiritual merit, highlighting worship of Keśava on the sacred lunar observances of new moon and full moon as a means to reach the supreme goal.