Shloka 22

Devanagari script

ऋतच्विग्‌ गुरुस्तथा5<चार्य: स्नातको नृपति:ः प्रिय: । सर्वमेतद्धृषीकेशस्तस्मादशभ्यर्चितो<च्युत:,श्रीकृष्ण हमारे ऋत्विक्‌, गुरु, आचार्य, स्नातक, राजा और प्रिय मित्र सब कुछ हैं। इसीलिये हमने इनकी अग्रपूजा की है

Transliteration

ṛtvig guruḥ tathā ācāryaḥ snātako nṛpatiḥ priyaḥ | sarvam etad dhṛṣīkeśas tasmād asmat-pūjito 'cyutaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “Kṛṣṇa—Hṛṣīkeśa—is for us everything: the officiating priest, the venerable teacher, the preceptor, the learned graduate, the king, and the beloved friend. Therefore, O Acyuta, he has been honored by us with the foremost worship.”

Word by Word

ऋत्विक्officiating priest

गुरुःteacher, preceptor

तथाand also, likewise

आचार्यःteacher, spiritual instructor

स्नातकःone who has completed the student stage; graduate

नृपतिःking

प्रियःdear, beloved

सर्वम्all; everything

एतत्this

हृषीकेशःHrishikesha (Krishna)

तस्मात्therefore; from that reason

अस्माभिःby us

अर्चितःhonoured, worshipped

अच्युतःAchyuta (Krishna)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Kṛṣṇa

Hṛṣīkeśa

Acyuta

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?

Bhīṣma frames Kṛṣṇa as embodying multiple sources of authority and care—ritual, learning, governance, and friendship—so honoring him is ethically appropriate. The verse links rightful honor (pūjā) to recognized excellence and beneficence, not merely to rank or power.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the royal assembly context, Bhīṣma justifies the decision to offer Kṛṣṇa the foremost honor (agrāpūjā). He explains that Kṛṣṇa is regarded as their priest, teacher, preceptor, learned elder, kingly protector, and dear companion, hence deserving precedence.