Shloka 21

Devanagari script

ईशान: प्राणद: प्राणो ज्येष्ठ: श्रेष्ठ: प्रजापति: । हिरण्यगर्भो भूगर्भो माधवों मधुसूदन:

Transliteration

īśānaḥ prāṇadaḥ prāṇo jyeṣṭhaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ prajāpatiḥ | hiraṇyagarbho bhūgarbho mādhavo madhusūdanaḥ ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ସେ ଈଶାନ, ସମସ୍ତ ଭୂତଙ୍କର ନିୟନ୍ତା; ପ୍ରାଣଦ, ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରାଣ ଦେଉଥିବା; ଏବଂ ସ୍ୱୟଂ ପ୍ରାଣସ୍ୱରୂପ। କାରଣ ହେବାରୁ ସେ ଜ୍ୟେଷ୍ଠ, ଉତ୍କୃଷ୍ଟତାରୁ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ। ସେ ପ୍ରଜାପତି—ସମସ୍ତ ପ୍ରଜାଙ୍କର ପ୍ରଭୁ। ସେ ହିରଣ୍ୟଗର୍ଭ—ସୁବର୍ଣ୍ଣମୟ ବ୍ରହ୍ମାଣ୍ଡାଣ୍ଡରେ ସୃଷ୍ଟିବୀଜରୂପେ ବ୍ୟାପ୍ତ; ଏବଂ ଭୂଗର୍ଭ—ପୃଥିବୀକୁ ନିଜ ଗର୍ଭରେ ଧାରଣ କରୁଥିବା। ସେ ମାଧବ—ଲକ୍ଷ୍ମୀପତି; ଏବଂ ମଧୁସୂଦନ—ମଧୁ ଦାନବର ସଂହାରକ।

Word by Word

• ईशानः: the ruler, lord
• ईशानः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्राणदः: giver of life-breath
• प्राणदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्राणः: life-breath; vital force
• प्राणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ज्येष्ठः: eldest; foremost
• ज्येष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रेष्ठः: best; most excellent
• श्रेष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रजापतिः: lord of creatures; progenitor
• प्रजापतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हिरण्यगर्भः: Hiraṇyagarbha (the golden-embryo/cosmic source)
• हिरण्यगर्भः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यगर्भ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भूगर्भः: one whose womb contains the earth; earth-holder
• भूगर्भः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूगर्भ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• माधवः: Mādhava (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa; consort of Lakṣmī)
• माधवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मधुसूदनः: slayer of Madhu
• मधुसूदनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधुसूदन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Īśāna (the Lord)
• Prajāpati
• Hiraṇyagarbha
• Bhū (Earth)
• Mādhava (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)
• Madhusūdana (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)
• Madhu (demon)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches devotion grounded in understanding: the Divine is praised as ruler, life-giver, primal cause, cosmic source, world-supporter, and destroyer of evil. Remembering such names cultivates humility (dependence on the life-giver), ethical steadiness (aligning with the supreme), and trust in divine protection.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs and uplifts by reciting and explaining divine epithets. Here he continues a sequence of names (commonly associated with Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa) that describe the Lord’s sovereignty, creative pervasion, sustaining power, and heroic destruction of demonic forces.