Shloka 18
Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ
Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony
भीष्म उवाच सुरासुरगुरो देव विष्णो त्वं वक्तुमहसि । शिवाय विश्वरूपाय यन्मां पृच्छद् युधिष्ठिर:
bhīṣma uvāca surāsuraguro deva viṣṇo tvaṁ vaktum arhasi | śivāya viśvarūpāya yan māṁ pṛcchad yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||
Dijo Bhīṣma: «Oh divino Viṣṇu, venerado maestro de dioses y asuras, sólo tú eres digno de hablar de ello. Yudhiṣṭhira me ha preguntado por la grandeza de Śiva en su forma universal; eres tú quien está verdaderamente capacitado para exponer esa sagrada majestad.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse models dharmic humility and theological inclusivity: Bhishma acknowledges the limits of his own authority and points to Vishnu as the most competent speaker on Shiva’s universal majesty, implying reverence across divine forms and the primacy of qualified instruction.
In response to Yudhishthira’s inquiry about the greatness of Shiva in his cosmic form, Bhishma turns to Vishnu and requests that Vishnu himself explain the subject, presenting Vishnu as the appropriate authority to narrate Shiva’s viśvarūpa-māhātmya.