Shloka 24
Śiśupāla-vākya: Bhīṣma-nindā and the ‘Haṃsa’ Exemplum (शिशुपालवाक्यम् — भीष्मनिन्दा, हंसदृष्टान्तः)
एष प्रकृतिरव्यक्ता कर्ता चैव सनातन: । परश्न सर्वभूते भ्यस्तस्मात् पूज्यतमो<च्युत:,ये ही अव्यक्त प्रकृति, सनातन कर्ता तथा सम्पूर्ण भूतोंसे परे हैं; अतः भगवान् अच्युत ही सबसे बढ़कर पूजनीय हैं
eṣā prakṛtir avyaktā kartā caiva sanātanaḥ | paraś ca sarvabhūtebhyaḥ tasmāt pūjyatamo 'cyutaḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Inilah Prakṛti yang tidak termanifest (avyakta), dan ada pula pelaku yang kekal. Oleh sebab Yang Tertinggi melampaui segala makhluk, maka Acyuta—Tuhan yang tidak pernah gugur—paling layak dipuja.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse distinguishes the unmanifest Prakṛti from the eternal transcendent agent, concluding that the Supreme—Acyuta—is beyond all beings and therefore deserves the highest worship.
In the Sabha Parva discourse, Bhīṣma speaks in praise of the Supreme Lord, framing a hierarchy of principles (Prakṛti, agency, transcendence) to justify why Acyuta is to be revered above all.