Shloka 17

Kṣātra-Dharma, Daṇḍanīti, and Social Order

Indra–Māndhātṛ Dialogue

Devanagari script

नासौ देवो विश्वरूपो मयापि शक्यो द्र॒ष्टं ब्रह्मणा वापि साक्षात्‌ । येडन्ये कामास्तव राजन्‌ हृदिस्था दास्ये चैतांस्त्वं हि मर्त्येषु राजा

Transliteration

nāsau devo viśvarūpo mayāpi śakyo draṣṭuṁ brahmaṇā vāpi sākṣāt | yed anye kāmās tava rājan hṛdisthā dāsye caitāṁs tvaṁ hi martyeṣu rājā ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “That deity of universal form cannot be beheld—neither by me nor even by Brahmā himself directly. O King, whatever other desires abide in your heart, I shall grant them; for you are the sovereign among mortals.”

Word by Word

• {'na': 'not', 'asau': 'that (person/being)', 'devaḥ': 'god

• divine being', 'viśvarūpaḥ': 'of universal form

• all-encompassing manifestation', 'mayā api': 'even by me', 'śakyaḥ': 'possible

• feasible', 'draṣṭum': 'to see

• to behold', 'brahmaṇā': 'by Brahmā', 'vā api': 'or even', 'sākṣāt': 'directly

• with one’s own eyes', 'ye anye': 'whatever other', 'kāmāḥ': 'desires

• wishes', 'tava': 'your', 'rājan': 'O king', 'hṛdisthāḥ': 'situated in the heart

• inwardly held', 'dāsye': 'I will give

• I shall grant', 'ca': 'and', 'etān': 'these', 'tvam': 'you', 'hi': 'indeed

• for', 'martyeṣu': 'among mortals

• in the human world', 'rājā': 'king'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Brahma
• King (Yudhishthira implied)
• Vishvarupa (universal form deity)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the limits of human (and even cosmic) perception regarding the supreme, all-encompassing form, while redirecting the king toward attainable aims within human dharma—rightful governance and the responsible ordering of desires.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva dialogue, Bhishma addresses the king’s wish connected with beholding a universal divine form, declares it beyond direct vision even for Brahmā, and offers instead to fulfill other heartfelt wishes—affirming the king’s status and duties among mortals.