Shloka 3
Keśava-tattva-kathana
On the Principle of Keśava: Cosmogony and Divine Epithets
भीष्म उवाच तथेत्येवं प्रतिश्रुत्य धर्म सम्पूज्य च प्रभो । यम॑ काल च मृत्युं च स्वर्ग सम्पूज्य चाहत:,भीष्मजीने कहा--प्रभो! तब “बहुत अच्छा” कहकर ब्राह्मणने धर्म, यम, काल, मृत्यु और स्वर्ग--इन सभी पूजनीय देवताओंका पूजन किया। वहाँ पहलेसे जो ब्राह्मण मौजूद थे और दूसरे भी जो श्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मण वहाँ पधारे थे, उन सबके चरणोंमें सिर झुकाकर सबकी यथोचित पूजा करके ब्राह्मणने राजासे कहा--
bhīṣma uvāca | tathety evaṃ pratiśrutya dharmaṃ sampūjya ca prabho | yamaṃ kālaṃ ca mṛtyuṃ ca svargaṃ sampūjya cāhataḥ |
ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ— ପ୍ରଭୋ! ସେତେବେଳେ ‘ତଥାସ୍ତୁ’ ବୋଲି ସମ୍ମତି ଦେଇ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ଧର୍ମଙ୍କୁ ଯଥାବିଧି ପୂଜା କଲେ; ତାପରେ ଯମ, କାଳ, ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ଓ ସ୍ୱର୍ଗ—ଏହି ସମସ୍ତ ପୂଜନୀୟ ଦିବ୍ୟଶକ୍ତିଙ୍କୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାରେ ପୂଜା କଲେ।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores reverence for Dharma and the cosmic regulators—Yama (moral recompense), Kāla (time), Mṛtyu (mortality), and Svarga (the fruit of merit). Ethically, it models humility and proper conduct: before speaking to power (the king), one honors the moral order and pays due respect to the learned.
Bhishma narrates that a Brahmin first agrees (“So be it”), then performs worship of Dharma and other personified cosmic powers, and respectfully honors the Brahmins present. Having completed these courtesies, he proceeds to address the king, setting a solemn and dharmic frame for what he is about to say.