Shloka 34

Devanagari script

अनग्नेर्भूमेरपां वायोरन्तरिक्षस्य चैव ह । वीर्येण सदृशः पुत्र: पुरा मत्तस्त्वया वृत:,“ब्रह्मन! तुमने पहले अग्नि, भूमि, जल, वायु और आकाशके समान शक्तिशाली पुत्र होनेका मुझसे वरदान माँगा था; अतः तुम्हें तुम्हारी तपस्याके प्रभाव तथा मेरी कृपासे पालित वैसा ही पुत्र प्राप्त हुआ। वह ब्रह्मतेजसे सम्पन्न और परम पवित्र था

Transliteration

anagner bhūmer apāṁ vāyor antarīkṣasya caiva ha | vīryeṇa sadṛśaḥ putraḥ purā mattas tvayā vṛtaḥ |

Translation

Bhishma said: “O Brahmin, you once sought from me a boon for a son whose power would be comparable to that of fire, earth, water, wind, and the very sky. Therefore, by the force of your austerities and by my favor, you obtained such a son—endowed with brahmanical radiance and supremely pure.”

Word by Word

• {'anagneḥ': 'of fire (Agni)

• genitive singular', 'bhūmeḥ': 'of the earth

• genitive singular', 'apām': 'of the waters

• genitive plural', 'vāyoḥ': 'of the wind

• genitive singular', 'antarīkṣasya': 'of the midspace/sky/atmosphere

• genitive singular', 'ca eva': 'and indeed/also', 'ha': 'particle indicating emphasis or recollection (‘indeed’, ‘surely’)', 'vīryeṇa': 'by strength, valor, potency

• instrumental singular', 'sadṛśaḥ': 'similar, comparable

• nominative singular masculine', 'putraḥ': 'son

• nominative singular', 'purā': 'formerly, earlier', 'mattaḥ': 'from me

• ablative singular', 'tvayā': 'by you

• instrumental singular', 'vṛtaḥ': 'chosen/asked for/sought

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Brahmin (unnamed)
• Agni (fire)
• Bhumi (earth)
• Ap (waters)
• Vayu (wind)
• Antariksha (sky/atmosphere)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links rightful aspiration and disciplined austerity (tapas) with the ethical granting of boons: power is not merely physical but is framed as purity and brahmanical radiance, implying that true strength should be aligned with inner sanctity and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma recalls a prior request made by a Brahmin for a son equal in potency to the great elements (fire, earth, water, wind, sky). Bhishma states that, through the Brahmin’s austerities and Bhishma’s favor, such a son was indeed obtained—described as radiant with brahmatejas and exceptionally pure.