Shloka 72

Śrāddha-Kalpa: Pitṛ-Pūjā and Tithi-Phala (श्राद्धकल्पः पितृपूजा च तिथिफलम्)

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वा चोर्ध्वमनयद्‌ रेतो वृषभवाहन: । ऊर्ध्वरेता: समभवत्‌ तत: प्रभूति चापि सः

Transliteration

ity uktvā cordhvam anayad reto vṛṣabhavāhanaḥ | ūrdhvaretāḥ samabhavat tataḥ prabhūti cāpi saḥ ||

Translation

Dijo Bhīṣma: Tras hablar así a los dioses, el Señor de la enseña del toro (Śaṅkara) elevó hacia lo alto su energía generativa. Desde entonces fue célebre como Ūrdhvaretā—quien retiene y sublima la semilla vital—señal de dominio del deseo y de la transmutación de la potencia en poder ascético.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• उक्त्वा: having said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), active, same as main verb agent

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

• ऊर्ध्वम्: upwards
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व
• Form: adverbial accusative

• अनयत्: led / carried
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), past, 3, singular, परस्मैपद

• रेतः: semen, virile fluid
• रेतः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेतस्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• वृषभवाहनः: the bull-vehicle (Śiva)
• वृषभवाहनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभवाहन
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• ऊर्ध्वरेताः: one whose semen is drawn upward
• ऊर्ध्वरेताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्वरेतस्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• समभवत्: became
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), past, 3, singular, परस्मैपद, सम्

• ततः: thereupon; from then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• प्रभृति: onwards; beginning from
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रभृति

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

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Vṛṣabha (the bull vehicle)
• Devatāḥ (the gods)
• Ūrdhvaretā (epithet/title)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined mastery over sensual impulse: divine power is shown not as indulgence but as restraint and sublimation—transforming generative force into tapas (spiritual heat/ascetic potency), a model of ethical self-governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

After addressing the gods, Śiva (the bull-rider) draws his retas upward, becoming known as Ūrdhvaretā. The narration explains the origin and significance of this epithet, emphasizing his ascetic control.