Shloka 82

Bhīṣma’s Śara-śayyā Stuti to Vāsudeva and Yogic Preparation for Dehotsarga

Body-Relinquishment

Devanagari script

चन्द्रार्थकृतशीर्षाय व्यालयज्ञोपवीतिने । पिनाकशूलहस्ताय तस्मा उग्रात्मने नम:

Transliteration

candārthakṛtaśīrṣāya vyālayajñopavītine | pinākaśūlahastāya tasmai ugrātmane namaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma offers reverent homage to Lord Śaṅkara, whose head is adorned with the crescent moon, whose sacred thread is a serpent, and who bears the Pināka bow and the trident in his hands—saluting that awe-inspiring, formidable-souled deity.

Word by Word

• चन्द्रार्थकृतशीर्षाय: to him whose head is made (adorned) with the crescent-moon as an ornament
• चन्द्रार्थकृतशीर्षाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रार्थकृतशीर्ष
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• व्याल-यज्ञोपवीतिने: to him who has a serpent as the sacred thread
• व्याल-यज्ञोपवीतिने: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यालयज्ञोपवीतिन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• पिनाक-शूल-हस्ताय: to him whose hand holds the Pinaka (bow) and the trident
• पिनाक-शूल-हस्ताय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिनाकशूलहस्त
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative, Singular

• उग्र-आत्मने: to the fierce-natured one
• उग्र-आत्मने: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उग्रात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• नमः: salutation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस्
• Form: true

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• crescent moon (ardhacandra)
• serpent (as yajñopavīta)
• Pināka bow
• Śūla/Triśūla (trident)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches dharmic orientation through devotion: by saluting Śiva—who unites ascetic symbolism (serpent sacred thread, crescent moon) with sovereign force (Pināka and trident)—one remembers that righteous life requires both self-control and the capacity to uphold order against chaos.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, as the speaker in Śānti Parva, utters a brief hymn of homage to Lord Śaṅkara, identifying him through iconic attributes and offering namaskāra. It functions as a devotional invocation within the broader instruction on peace, duty, and right conduct.