Shloka 51
पद्मनाभो5रविन्दाक्ष: पद्मगर्भ: शरीरभृत् । महर्द्धिर््रद्धो वृद्धात्मा महाक्षो गरुडध्वज:
bhīṣma uvāca | padmanābho 'ravindākṣaḥ padmagarbhaḥ śarīrabhṛt | maharddhir ṛddho vṛddhātmā mahākṣo garuḍadhvajaḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: Dialah Padmanābha, berpusar-teratai; Aravindakṣa, bermata teratai; Padmagarbha, yang patut direnungkan dalam teratai hati; dan Śarīrabhṛt, pemelihara para makhluk berjasad. Ia berkeagungan besar, paling mulia, Diri yang purba, bermata lebar, dan yang panjinya bergambar Garuḍa—demikian Tuhan dipuji dengan nama-nama ini.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches devotional recollection through divine epithets: contemplating the Lord as the inner dweller (heart-lotus), the sustainer of all beings, and the all-seeing ancient Self. Such remembrance supports dharmic living by orienting the mind toward reverence, restraint, and inner steadiness.
Bhishma is reciting a sequence of sacred names and attributes of Viṣṇu (in the style of a litany of epithets), continuing his instruction on dharma by recommending praise and contemplation of the Lord’s qualities.