Shloka 26

Devanagari script

ज्वालामालापरिक्षिप्तो वैहायसचरस्तथा । अजेय: सर्वभूतानामासं नित्यमपेतभी:,मेरे शरीरसे आगकी लपटें निकलती थीं और मैं ज्वालामालाओंसे घिरकर सदा आकाशकमें निर्भय विचरता हुआ समस्त प्राणियोंके लिये अजेय हो गया था

Transliteration

jvālāmālā-parikṣipto vaihāyasacaras tathā | ajeyaḥ sarvabhūtānām āsaṃ nityaṃ apeta-bhīḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “Wreathed in garlands of flame, moving freely through the sky, I remained ever without fear and became unconquerable to all beings.”

Word by Word

ज्वाला-माला-परिक्षिप्तःsurrounded/encircled by garlands of flames

वैहायस-चरःmoving in the sky; sky-roaming

तथाthus; likewise

अजेयःunconquerable

सर्व-भूतानाम्of all beings

आसम्I was

नित्यम्always

अपेत-भीःfree from fear; fearless

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

jvālāmālā (garlands of flame)

vaihāyasa (the sky/air)

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?

The verse highlights the ethical ideal of fearlessness grounded in inner power and discipline: when fear is cast off and one is established in self-mastery, one becomes difficult to overcome—not merely by force, but by the steadiness of character and spiritual potency.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes a state in which he is surrounded by flames and moves through the sky without fear, presenting himself as invincible to all beings—an image of extraordinary, tapas-born power being recounted within his instruction in the Śānti Parva.