Shloka 76
शुभाड़: शान्तिद: स्रष्टा कुमुद:ः कुवलेशय: । गोहितो गोपति्गोप्ता वृषभाक्षो वृषप्रिय:,५८६ शुभाज़:ः-अति मनोहर परम सुन्दर अंगोंवाले, ५८७ शान्तिद:-परम शान्ति देनेवाले, ५८८ स्त्रष्टा-सर्गके आदिमें सबकी रचना करनेवाले, ५८९ कुमुद:-पृथ्वीपर प्रसन्नतापूर्वक लीला करनेवाले, ५९० कुवलेशय:-जलमें शेषनागकी शय्यापर शयन करनेवाले, ५९१ गोहित:-गोपालरूपसे गायोंका और अवतार धारण करके भार उतारकर पृथ्वीका हित करनेवाले, ५९२ गोपति:-पृथ्वीके और गायोंके स्वामी, ५९३ गोप्ता-अवतार धारण करके सबके सम्मुख प्रकट होते समय अपनी मायासे अपने स्वरूपको आच्छादित करनेवाले, ५९४ वृषभाक्ष:-समस्त कामनाओंकी वर्षा करनेवाली कृपादृष्टिसे युक्त, ५९५ वृषप्रिय:-धर्मसे प्यार करनेवाले
śubhāṅgaḥ śāntidaḥ sraṣṭā kumudaḥ kuvaleśayaḥ | gohito gopatir goptā vṛṣabhākṣo vṛṣapriyaḥ ||
Bhīṣma said: He is of auspicious and beautiful form, the giver of peace, and the primal creator. He is “Kumuda,” delighting the earth with gracious play, and “Kuvaleśaya,” who reclines upon the serpent-bed in the cosmic waters. He is the benefactor of the cows and of the world, their lord and protector; though he appears before all in incarnate form, he veils his true nature by his own divine power. His gaze is like a raincloud that showers grace and fulfills worthy desires, and he is dear to righteousness—one who loves dharma itself.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents dharma-centered devotion: the Supreme is praised as creator and protector who grants peace, sustains the world (especially symbolized by ‘cows’/earth), and whose compassionate gaze showers grace. Ethical emphasis falls on reverence for dharma and on the divine role of safeguarding order while remaining transcendent, even when appearing in the world.
In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and extols Viṣṇu through a sequence of epithets (as in the Viṣṇu-sahasranāma context). This verse is a cluster of names describing Viṣṇu’s cosmic functions (creation, sustaining, reclining on Śeṣa) and his protective, peace-giving presence through incarnations.