Shloka 12

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच एवमुक्तो भगवता महेन्द्र: पृथिवीं तदा । चचारैरावतस्कन्धमधिरुहा[ू श्रिया वृत:

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca evam ukto bhagavatā mahendraḥ pṛthivīṃ tadā | cacāra airāvataskandham adhiruhya śriyā vṛtaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : Ainsi instruit par le Seigneur Bienheureux (Brahmā), Mahendra (Indra) monta alors sur le dos d’Airāvata et se mit à parcourir la terre, resplendissant de la fortune royale—signe d’une souveraineté et d’une protection du monde consacrées par le décret divin.

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• उक्तः: having been addressed/commanded
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: kta (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भगवता: by the Blessed Lord
• भगवता: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• महेन्द्रः: Mahendra (Indra)
• महेन्द्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पृथिवीम्: the earth
• पृथिवीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• चचार: wandered/roamed
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• ऐरावत-स्कन्धम्: the shoulder/back of Airavata
• ऐरावत-स्कन्धम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐरावतस्कन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अधिरुह्य: having mounted
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-रुह्
• Form: lyap (absolutive/gerund)

• श्रिया: with splendor/royal fortune
• श्रिया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• वृतः: surrounded/adorned
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ
• Form: kta (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Brahma
• Indra (Mahendra)
• Airavata
• Earth (Prithivi)
• Shri (royal fortune/prosperity)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Legitimate authority and governance are portrayed as grounded in adherence to higher, divinely aligned instruction; prosperity (śrī) accompanies rightful rule oriented toward maintaining order and protection.

What is happening in the narrative?

After receiving Brahmā’s directive, Indra mounts his elephant Airāvata and roams the earth, depicted as radiant with śrī—an image of divinely sanctioned sovereignty in action.