Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

नक्षत्राण्यृतवश्चैव मासा: पक्षा: सवत्सरा: | वैनतेया: समुद्राश्च॒ कद्रुजा: पन्नगास्तथा

Transliteration

nakṣatrāṇy ṛtavaś caiva māsāḥ pakṣāḥ savatsarāḥ | vainateyāḥ samudrāś ca kadrujāḥ pannagās tathā ||

Translation

भीष्म ने कहा—“नक्षत्र और ऋतु, मास और पक्ष, तथा संवत्सर-चक्र; विनता-पुत्र गरुड़ और समुद्र; तथा कद्रू-जनित पन्नग—ये सब हमारी रक्षा और धारण करें।”

Word by Word

• नक्षत्राणि: constellations
• नक्षत्राणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• ऋतवः: seasons
• ऋतवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋतु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

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

• मासाः: months
• मासाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पक्षाः: fortnights (waxing/waning halves)
• पक्षाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सवत्सराः: years
• सवत्सराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवत्सर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वैनतेयाः: sons of Vinatā (esp. Garuḍa and/or his class)
• वैनतेयाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैनतेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• समुद्राः: oceans
• समुद्राः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• कद्रुजाः: offspring of Kadrū
• कद्रुजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कद्रुज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पन्नगाः: serpents
• पन्नगाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Nakṣatras (constellations/lunar mansions)
• Ṛtus (seasons)
• Māsas (months)
• Pakṣas (fortnights)
• Vatsara (year)
• Garuḍa (Vainateya)
• Vinatā
• Oceans (Samudras)
• Kadru
• Nāgas/Serpents (Pannagas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Reverent remembrance of the cosmic order—time divisions (seasons, months, fortnights, years) and primordial beings (Garuḍa, oceans, nāgas)—is presented as a dharmic act that aligns the mind with ṛta (order) and is sought as a source of protection and well-being.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma continues a long, structured enumeration of revered powers and beings. This verse specifically invokes celestial/time markers and major mythic entities (Garuḍa, oceans, serpents) as part of a protective recitation meant to safeguard the listener/reciter.