Shloka 9

Vyaktāvyakta-Viveka and Nivṛtti as Paramā Gati

Manifest–Unmanifest Discrimination and the Supreme Path of Withdrawal

Devanagari script

वासुदेव: परमिदं विश्व॒स्य ब्रह्मणो मुखम्‌ । सत्यं ज्ञानमथो यज्ञस्तितिक्षा दम आर्जवम्‌

Transliteration

vāsudevaḥ param idaṃ viśvasya brahmaṇo mukham | satyaṃ jñānam atho yajñas titikṣā dama ārjavam |

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ବାସୁଦେବ ହେଉଛନ୍ତି ଏହି ବିଶ୍ୱର ପରମ ମୂଳ ଏବଂ ବ୍ରହ୍ମଙ୍କ ‘ମୁଖ’ (ପ୍ରଧାନ ପ୍ରକାଶ)। ସତ୍ୟ, ଜ୍ଞାନ, ଯଜ୍ଞ, ତିତିକ୍ଷା, ଦମ (ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟ-ସଂଯମ) ଓ ଆର୍ଜବ—ଏହି ସମସ୍ତ ଗୁଣ ଏବଂ ଯେ ପରମ ତତ୍ତ୍ୱକୁ ସେମାନେ ସୂଚାନ୍ତି, ସେ ସ୍ୱରୂପତଃ ବାସୁଦେବ ନିଜେ।

Word by Word

• वासुदेवः: Vasudeva (Krishna)
• वासुदेवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• विश्वस्य: of the universe
• विश्वस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahman
• ब्रह्मणः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• मुखम्: mouth; face; source
• मुखम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: and; moreover; then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• यज्ञः: sacrifice; ritual
• यज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तितिक्षा: forbearance; endurance
• तितिक्षा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तितिक्षा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• दमः: self-control (of senses)
• दमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आर्जवम्: straightforwardness; sincerity
• आर्जवम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्जव
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Vāsudeva
• Brahman
• Viśva (the universe)
• Yajña

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

All cardinal virtues—truth, knowledge, sacrifice, endurance, self-control, and integrity—are not merely human qualities but expressions of the Supreme; recognizing Vāsudeva as their ground unifies ethics with devotion and metaphysics.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation, Bhīṣma teaches Yudhiṣṭhira by identifying Vāsudeva (Krishna) as the highest reality and as the source and essence of the principal dharmic virtues.