Shloka 4
Nāmānirukta of Nārāyaṇa (Keśava–Viṣṇu–Vāsudeva) and the Rudra–Nārāyaṇa Unity Theme
शैलादस्मान्महीं गन्तुं कांक्षितं नो महामुने । वेदाननेकधा कर्तु यदि ते रुचितं प्रभो
śailād asmān mahīṁ gantuṁ kāṅkṣitaṁ no mahāmune | vedān anekadhā kartuṁ yadi te rucitaṁ prabho ||
Bhishma said: “O great sage, we wish to go down from this mountain to the earth. Our purpose in this journey is to arrange the Vedas into many divisions and spread them. O lord, if this pleases you, grant us permission to depart.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic stewardship of sacred knowledge: the Vedas are to be responsibly organized into accessible divisions and propagated for the welfare of the world, and such action is undertaken with humility and deference to rightful spiritual authority.
Bhishma addresses a great sage, stating that they wish to descend from a mountain to the human world. Their stated mission is to divide and disseminate the Vedas, and they request the sage’s approval to proceed.