Shloka 20

Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ

Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony

Devanagari script

द्वैपायनप्रभूतयस्तथा चेमे तपोधना: । ऋषय: सुव्रता दान्ता: शृण्वन्तु गदतस्तव

Transliteration

dvaipāyanaprabhūtayas tathā ceme tapodhanāḥ | ṛṣayaḥ suvratā dāntāḥ śṛṇvantu gadatas tava ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dijo: «Que estos sabios—entre los cuales Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa) es el más eminente—junto con estos ascetas ricos en austeridad, hombres de votos excelentes y de dominio de sí, escuchen mientras tú hablas».

Word by Word

• द्वैपायनप्रभूतयः: headed by Dvaipayana / with Dvaipayana as foremost
• द्वैपायनप्रभूतयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वैपायन-प्रभूत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तथा: and also / likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• इमे: these
• इमे: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तपोधनाः: ascetics (whose wealth is austerity)
• तपोधनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपोधन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सुव्रताः: of good vows / well-disciplined
• सुव्रताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुव्रत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दान्ताः: self-controlled
• दान्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शृण्वन्तु: let (them) hear / may (they) listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative (Lot), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• गदतः: of (you) speaking / while (you) are speaking
• Type: Verb
• Root: गदत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• तव: of you / your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa)
• Ṛṣis (sages/ascetics)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the ethical weight of discourse delivered in the presence of eminent, self-controlled sages: instruction should be spoken responsibly, and heard attentively, within a community grounded in tapas, vows, and restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma formally invokes the audience of revered sages—especially Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa)—and asks that they listen to the forthcoming speech, marking a solemn transition into authoritative instruction within the Anuśāsana (teachings) context.