Shloka 28

Devanagari script

लोकाध्यक्ष: सुराध्यक्षो धर्माध्यक्ष: कृताकृत: । चतुरात्मा चतुर्व्यूहश्चतुर्दष्ट श्चतुर्भुज:

Transliteration

lokādhyakṣaḥ surādhyakṣo dharmādhyakṣaḥ kṛtākṛtaḥ | caturātmā caturvyūhaś caturdaṃṣṭraś caturbhujaḥ ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ସେ ଲୋକାଧ୍ୟକ୍ଷ—ସମସ୍ତ ଲୋକଙ୍କ ଅଧିପତି; ସୁରାଧ୍ୟକ୍ଷ—ଦେବମାନଙ୍କ ଅଧ୍ୟକ୍ଷ; ଧର୍ମାଧ୍ୟକ୍ଷ—ଧର୍ମ-ଅଧର୍ମର ନ୍ୟାୟକର୍ତ୍ତା, କୃତ ଓ ଅକୃତ ଅନୁସାରେ ଯଥୋଚିତ ଫଳ ଦାନକାରୀ। ସେ କୃତାକୃତ—କାର୍ଯ୍ୟରୂପେ କୃତ ଓ କାରଣରୂପେ ଅକୃତ। ସେ ଚତୁରାତ୍ମା—ଚାରି ସ୍ୱରୂପବାନ; ଚତୁର୍ବ୍ୟୂହ—ଚାରି ବ୍ୟୂହରେ ପ୍ରକଟ; ଚତୁର୍ଦଂଷ୍ଟ୍ର—ଚାରି ଦଂଷ୍ଟ୍ରାବାନ ରକ୍ଷକ-ରୂପ; ଏବଂ ଚତୁର୍ଭୁଜ—ବୈକୁଣ୍ଠବାସୀ ଚାରିଭୁଜ ଭଗବାନ ବିଷ୍ଣୁ।

Word by Word

• लोकाध्यक्षः: lord/overseer of the worlds
• लोकाध्यक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकाध्यक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुराध्यक्षः: chief/overseer of the gods
• सुराध्यक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुराध्यक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्माध्यक्षः: overseer/judge of dharma
• धर्माध्यक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्माध्यक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृताकृतः: the done and the not-done; effected and uneffected
• कृताकृतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृताकृत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चतुरात्मा: one whose nature/forms are fourfold
• चतुरात्मा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुरात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चतुर्व्यूहः: one having four emanations/arrays (vyūhas)
• चतुर्व्यूहः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्व्यूह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चतुर्दंष्ट्रः: four-tusked
• चतुर्दंष्ट्रः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्दंष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चतुर्भुजः: four-armed
• चतुर्भुजः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्भुज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Viṣṇu
• Vaikuṇṭha
• Brahmā
• Maheśa (Śiva)
• Brahman (nirākāra)
• Narasiṃha

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents the Lord as the cosmic administrator of dharma: the one who oversees worlds and gods and who ensures that actions (and even failures to act) yield appropriate consequences. Ethical order is not accidental; it is upheld by a supreme moral governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is reciting a praise-description of Viṣṇu, listing divine epithets and forms. The focus is on Viṣṇu’s universal lordship and protective manifestations, situating him as the ultimate authority behind dharma and cosmic stability.