Shloka 14

सत्य–अनृत, प्रकाश–तमस्, स्वर्ग–नरक विवेचनम्

Truth and Untruth as Light and Darkness; Svarga and Naraka as Ethical Consequences

Devanagari script

आकाशमिति विख्यात॑ सर्वभूतधर: प्रभु: । आकाशादभवदू वारि सलिलादग्निमारुतौ | अग्निमारुतसंयोगात्‌ ततः समभवन्मही,सम्पूर्ण भूतोंको धारण करनेवाले अहंकारस्वरूप भगवानने शब्दतन्मात्रा रूप आकाशको उत्पन्न किया। आकाशसे जल और जलसे अग्नि एवं वायुकी उत्पत्ति हुई। अग्नि और वायुके संयोगसे इस पृथ्वीका प्रादुर्भाव हुआ-

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | ākāśam iti vikhyātaṃ sarvabhūtadharaḥ prabhuḥ | ākāśād abhavad vāri salilād agnimārutau | agnimārutasaṃyogāt tataḥ samabhavan mahī |

Translation

Bhishma said: The sovereign Lord, famed as the supporter of all beings, brought forth the principle known as “ākāśa” (space/ether). From ākāśa arose water; from water arose fire and wind. From the conjunction of fire and wind, thereafter, the earth came into manifestation.

Word by Word

• {'ākāśam': 'space/ether

• the subtle element associated with sound', 'iti': 'thus

• as', 'vikhyātam': 'well-known

• renowned', 'sarvabhūta-dharaḥ': 'supporter/bearer of all beings', 'prabhuḥ': 'Lord

• master', 'ākāśāt': 'from ākāśa', 'abhavat': 'arose

• came to be', 'vāri': 'water', 'salilāt': 'from water', 'agni': 'fire', 'mārutau': 'wind (vāyu)

• here paired with fire', 'saṃyogāt': 'from conjunction/combination', 'tataḥ': 'then

• thereafter', 'samabhavat': 'came into existence

• manifested', 'mahī': 'earth

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Prabhu (the Lord)
• Ākāśa (ether/space)
• Vāri/Salila (water)
• Agni (fire)
• Māruta/Vāyu (wind)
• Mahī (earth)