Shloka 12
Pitṛ-śrāddha-haviḥ-phala-nirdeśa
Offerings for Ancestors and Their Stated Results
तत्तेजोडग्निर्महद्भूतं द्वितीयमिति पावकम् | वधार्थ देवशत्रूणां गंगायां जनयिष्यति,सनातन संकल्पको ही काम कहते हैं। उसी कामसे रुद्रका जो तेज स्खलित होकर अग्निमें गिरा था, उसे अग्निने ले रखा है। द्वितीय अग्निके समान उस महान् तेजको वे गंगाजीमें स्थापित करके बालकरूपसे उत्पन्न करेंगे। वही बालक देवशत्रुओंके वधका कारण होगा
tat tejo 'gnir mahad bhūtaṃ dvitīyam iti pāvakam | vadhārthaṃ devaśatrūṇāṃ gaṅgāyāṃ janayiṣyati ||
Bhishma berkata: “Sinar perkasa itu—suatu tejas unsuriah yang besar, diangkat oleh Agni bagaikan api kedua—akan dilahirkan di sungai Gaṅgā demi membinasakan musuh-musuh para dewa. Daripadanya akan lahir seorang anak, dan anak itu akan menjadi sebab kemenangan para dewa atas lawan-lawan mereka.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Divine power (tejas) is not random; it is directed toward restoring cosmic balance. The verse frames violence as teleological—aimed at removing forces hostile to dharma (here, the gods’ enemies)—and emphasizes that even destructive power is to be situated within a larger moral-cosmic purpose.
Bhīṣma describes how a great fiery potency is taken up by Agni and then placed in the river-goddess Gaṅgā, from which a child will be born. That child is destined to become the instrument for slaying the enemies of the gods.