Shloka 96

Devanagari script

समावर्तोंडनिवृत्तात्मा दुर्जयो दुरतिक्रम: । दुर्लभो दुर्गमो दुर्गों दुरावासो दुरारिहा,७७३ समावर्त:-संसारचक्रको भलीभाँति घुमानेवाले, ७७४ अनिवृत्तात्मा-सर्वत्र विद्यमान होनेके कारण जिनका आत्मा कहींसे भी हटा हुआ नहीं है, ऐसे, ७७५ दुर्जय:- किसीसे भी जीतनेमें न आनेवाले, ७७६ दुरतिक्रम:-जिनकी आज्ञाका कोई उल्लंघन नहीं कर सके, ऐसे, ७७७ दुर्लभ:-बिना भक्तिके प्राप्त न होनेवाले, ७७८ दुर्गमः-कठिनतासे जाननेमें आनेवाले, ७७९ दुर्ग:-कठिनतासे प्राप्त होनेवाले, ७८० दुरावास:-बड़ी कठिनतासे योगीजनोंद्वारा हृदयमें बसाये जानेवाले, ७८१ दुरारिहा-दुष्ट मार्गमें चलनेवाले दैत्योंका वध करनेवाले

Transliteration

samāvarto 'nivṛttātmā durjayo duratikramaḥ | durlabho durgamo durgo durāvāso durārihā ||

Translation

Bhīṣma berkata: Dia ialah Tuhan yang sentiasa berputar, yang memutar roda kewujudan duniawi; Diri-Nya tidak pernah berundur daripada apa pun kerana Dia hadir di mana-mana. Dia tidak dapat ditaklukkan dan tiada siapa mampu melanggar perintah-Nya. Tanpa bhakti Dia tidak diperoleh; Dia sukar diketahui dan sukar dicapai. Bahkan para yogin pun sukar menempatkan-Nya dalam hati; dan Dialah pembunuh kuasa-kuasa bermusuhan yang menempuh jalan adharma.

Word by Word

समावर्तःone who causes (the cycle) to turn fully; the all-circling one

अनिवृत्तात्माwhose self is not withdrawn (present everywhere)

दुर्जयःhard to conquer; unconquerable

दुरतिक्रमःhard to transgress; whose command cannot be violated

दुर्लभःhard to obtain; rare

दुर्गमःhard to approach/understand

दुर्गःhard to reach; inaccessible (like a fortress)

दुरावासःhard to dwell in / hard to be made to dwell (in the heart)

दुरारिहाslayer of difficult foes; destroyer of wicked enemies

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

the Supreme Lord (Viṣṇu/Nārāyaṇa implied)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches divine transcendence and sovereignty: the Supreme is omnipresent and inviolable, beyond conquest or disobedience. Yet He is not easily attained by mere effort; devotion and inner realization are emphasized, and even yogic absorption is portrayed as difficult. He also upholds dharma by destroying hostile, unrighteous forces.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira and offers a hymn-like description of the Supreme Lord through a series of epithets. This verse continues that praise, highlighting the Lord’s inaccessibility to the unprepared and His role as protector of dharma.