Shloka 9

Adhyāya 70: Sātyaki’s Arrow-Display and the Bhūriśravas Engagement; Twilight Withdrawal

Devanagari script

भूतं भव्यं भविष्यच्च पूर्वमेतदकल्पयत्‌ । उभे संध्ये दिश: खं च नियमांश्व॒ जनार्दन:

Transliteration

bhūtaṃ bhavyaṃ bhaviṣyac ca pūrvam etad akalpayat | ubhe sandhye diśaḥ khaṃ ca niyamāṃś ca janārdanaḥ ||

Translation

Sejak dahulu, Dialah yang menata tiga arus waktu—masa lampau, masa kini, dan masa depan. Janārdana yang sama pula menciptakan dua peralihan senja (fajar dan petang), arah-arah, langit, serta ketetapan-ketetapan yang mengatur dunia.

Word by Word

• भूतम्: the past (that which has been)
• भूतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (भू + क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भव्यम्: the future (what is to be)
• भव्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भविष्यत्: the present/coming (that which will be)
• भविष्यत्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भविष्यत् (भू + शतृ/शतृ-प्रत्ययः, भविष्यत्)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व

• एतत्: this (all this)
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अकल्पयत्: created, fashioned, arranged
• Type: Verb
• Root: कल्प्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• उभे: both
• उभे: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Dual

• संध्ये: twilights (dawn and dusk)
• संध्ये: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संध्या
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Dual

• दिशः: directions
• दिशः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

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

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

• नियमान्: rules, ordinances, restraints
• नियमान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• जनार्दनः: Janārdana (Krishna/Vishnu)
• जनार्दनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Janārdana (Kṛṣṇa/Viṣṇu)
• sandhyā (dawn and dusk)
• diś (directions)
• kha (sky/space)
• niyama (ordinances)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse asserts Janārdana’s supreme role as the cosmic organizer: time (past–present–future) and the world’s regulating structures (twilights, directions, space, and ordinances) arise from Him, implying that dharma and order are grounded in a divine source.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma Parva, Bhīṣma speaks in praise of Janārdana, describing Him not merely as a warrior’s ally but as the cosmic creator and regulator, thereby elevating the battlefield context into a theological affirmation of divine governance.