Shloka 89
Adhyāya 284: Tapas as a Corrective to Household Attachment
Parāśara’s Instruction
नमो ज्येष्ठाय श्रेष्ठाय बलप्रमथनाय च । कालनाथाय कल्याय क्षयायोपक्षयाय च,आप अवस्थामें सबसे ज्येष्ठ और गुणोंमें भी सबसे श्रेष्ठ हैं। आपने बल नामक दैत्यको इन्द्ररूपसे मथ डाला था। आप कालके भी नियन्ता और सर्वशक्तिमान् हैं। महाप्रलय और अवान्तर-प्रलय भी आप ही हैं। आपको नमस्कार है
namo jyeṣṭhāya śreṣṭhāya balapramathanāya ca | kālanāthāya kalyāya kṣayāyopakṣayāya ca ||
ତୁମେ ସର୍ବଜ୍ୟେଷ୍ଠ ଓ ଗୁଣରେ ସର୍ବଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ; ‘ବଳ’ ନାମକ ଦୈତ୍ୟର ପ୍ରମଥନକର୍ତ୍ତା; କାଳର ମଧ୍ୟ ନାଥ, ସର୍ବମଙ୍ଗଳସ୍ୱରୂପ; ମହାପ୍ରଳୟ ଓ ଅବାନ୍ତର-ପ୍ରଳୟ ମଧ୍ୟ ତୁମେ—ତୁମକୁ ନମସ୍କାର।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames the Supreme as both auspicious and terrifyingly absolute: the Lord is beyond all hierarchy (eldest and best), governs even Time, and is the principle behind both periodic and final dissolution. Ethically, it teaches humility and surrender before the cosmic order that no power—human or divine—can escape.
In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma and higher truths. Here he offers a hymn-like salutation, praising the addressed deity’s supremacy through epithets and mythic reference (the subjugation of the daitya Bala), and by identifying the deity with Time and cosmic dissolution.