Shloka 114

Devanagari script

स्थूल जीर्णाड़ जटिले वलल्‍्कलाजिनधारिणे । दीप्तसूर्याग्निजटिले वलकलाजिनवाससे । सहसतसूर्यप्रतिम तपोनित्य नमो<स्तु ते,आपका श्रीविग्रह स्थूल और जीर्ण है। आप जटाधारी हैं। वलकल और मृगचर्म धारण करते हैं। देदीप्यमान सूर्य और अग्निके समान ज्योतिर्मयी जटासे सुशोभित हैं। वल्कल और मृगचर्म ही आपके वस्त्र हैं। आप सहस्रों सूर्योके समान प्रकाशमान और सदा तपस्यामें संलग्न रहनेवाले हैं। आपको नमस्कार है

Transliteration

sthūla-jīrṇāḍa-jaṭile valkalājinadhāriṇe | dīpta-sūryāgni-jaṭile valkalājinavāsase | sahasra-sūrya-pratima tapo-nitya namo 'stu te ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “Salutations to you—your sacred form appears robust yet worn with age; you are matted-haired, clad in bark-fibre and antelope-skin. Your blazing locks shine like the sun and fire; bark and hide are your only garments. Radiant like a thousand suns and ever devoted to austerity, to you I bow.”

Word by Word

स्थूलto the stout/large-bodied one

जीर्णto the worn/aged one

आर्द्रto the moist/damp one

जटिलेto the matted-haired one

वल्कलाजिनधारिणेto the wearer of bark-garment and antelope-skin

दीप्तसूर्याग्निजटिलेto him whose matted hair is like blazing sun and fire

वल्कलाजिनवाससेto him whose clothing is bark and antelope-skin

सहस्रसूर्यप्रतिमto the one comparable to a thousand suns

तपोनित्यto the one ever engaged in austerity

नमःsalutation

अस्तुlet it be

तेto you

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

an unnamed ascetic (jaṭila/tapasvin)

sun (sūrya)

fire (agni)

bark garment (valkala)

antelope-skin/hide (ajina)

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 upholds the ascetic ideal: a life of simplicity (bark and hide), disciplined tapas, and inner radiance is worthy of the highest respect. It implies that spiritual merit and authority arise from self-control and sustained practice rather than external status.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma offers a formal salutation to a powerful ascetic figure, praising visible marks of renunciation—matted hair, austere clothing, and fiery radiance—while acknowledging the ascetic’s constant engagement in tapas. This fits the Śānti Parva’s broader setting of instruction and reverence for dharmic exemplars.