Shloka 40

Devanagari script

स पञ्चाधा पञ्चजनोपपन्नं संचोदयन्‌ विश्वमिदं सिसुक्षु: । ततश्चलकारावनिमारुतौ च खं ज्योतिरम्भश्ष॒ तथैव पार्थ

Transliteration

sa pañcadhā pañcajanopapannaṃ saṃcodayan viśvam idaṃ sisukṣuḥ | tataś calakārāvanimārutau ca khaṃ jyotir ambhaś ca tathaiva pārtha kuntīkumarāḥ |

Translation

Dijo Bhīṣma: Deseando hacer surgir este universo entero, el Supremo Impulsor—presente de cinco maneras y asociado a las cinco clases de seres—puso el mundo en movimiento y mantuvo a todas las criaturas bajo su gobierno. Luego formó, en el debido orden, los cinco grandes elementos: tierra, agua, fuego (luz), viento y espacio.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पञ्चधा: in five ways / fivefold
• पञ्चधा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पञ्चधा

• पञ्चजनोपपन्नम्: endowed with the five classes of beings
• पञ्चजनोपपन्नम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चजन-उपपन्न
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• संचोदयन्: impelling / setting in motion
• संचोदयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+चुद्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विश्वम्: all / entire
• विश्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सिसृक्षुः: desiring to create
• सिसृक्षुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज्
• Form: उ (desiderative participle, 'wish to do'), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ततः: then / thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• चकार: made / created
• चकार: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अवनि: earth
• अवनि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवनि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• मारुतौ: the two winds / (wind and) air (dual form)
• मारुतौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारुत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

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

• खम्: space / sky
• खम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ज्योतिः: light / fire
• ज्योतिः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अम्भः: water
• अम्भः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्भस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तथा: thus / likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एव: indeed / just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• पार्थ: O Partha (Arjuna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कुन्तीकुमार: O son of Kunti
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुन्ती-कुमार
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Partha (Arjuna)
• Kunti-kumaras (Pandavas)
• Devas
• Asuras
• Manushyas (humans)
• Pitrs (ancestors)
• Tiryaks (animals)
• Prithvi (earth)
• Ap/Ambhas (water)
• Tejas/Jyotis (fire/light)
• Vayu/Marut (wind)
• Akasha/Kha (space/ether)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that the universe and its diverse orders of beings arise from a single governing principle that impels and sustains creation. The five great elements are produced in an ordered sequence, implying a cosmos structured by law and purpose—an ethical-metaphysical backdrop for dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma, instructing the Pandavas (addressing Arjuna as Partha), explains a doctrine of creation: the Supreme creator, intending to manifest the world, brings forth the five elements and thereby supports the five classes of beings (gods, asuras, humans, ancestors, and animals).