Shloka 39

Adhyāya 270 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry on saṃnyāsa; Bhīṣma on calculable time, tamas, and karma

Vṛtra–Uśanā exemplum begins

Devanagari script

ततः: प्रह्षष्टदनो भूय आरब्धवांस्तप: । भूयश्वाचिन्तयत्‌ सिद्धो यत्परं सोडभिमन्यते

Transliteration

tataḥ prahṛṣṭa-dhano bhūya ārabdhavāṁs tapaḥ | bhūyaś cācintayat siddho yat-paraṁ so ’bhimanyate ||

Translation

Bhishma said: Thereupon, with his wealth gladdened, he once again undertook austerity with renewed zeal. And again, having attained spiritual success, he reflected: whatever supreme thing he conceived in his mind—even if exceedingly great—would appear before him. Seeing this, the brahmin again began to ponder as follows.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय

• प्रहृष्टदनः: one whose face/teeth were delighted; cheerful-faced
• प्रहृष्टदनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रहृष्टदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भूयः: again, once more
• भूयः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय

• आरब्धवान्: having begun; started
• आरब्धवान्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रभ् (धातु) → आरब्धवत् (कृत्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (भूतकृत्; परोक्ष/पूर्णभूतार्थे ‘-वत्’)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भूयः: again
• भूयः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय

• अचिन्तयत्: he thought, reflected
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सिद्धः: accomplished; having attained success
• सिद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिद्ध (कृत्-प्रातिपदिक; √सिध्/√साध्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• परम्: supreme; very great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उदभिमन्यते: he thinks/imagines; he intends in his mind
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-अभि-√मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• a brahmin (unnamed ascetic)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how sustained tapas can yield siddhi—extraordinary efficacy of will—yet it implicitly raises an ethical tension: when desires instantly manifest, the practitioner must examine intention and restraint, otherwise power can become a new bondage rather than a support for dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

An ascetic brahmin, delighted by his gained prosperity, resumes austerities. After attaining success again, he notices that whatever lofty object he mentally resolves upon appears before him, prompting him to reflect further on what to do with such power.