Shloka 22

सांख्ययोगभेदः तथा योगबलोपदेशः

Sāṃkhya–Yoga Distinction and Instruction on Yogic Strength

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच पुरा सो5न्तर्जलगत: स्थाणुभूतो महाव्रत: । वर्षाणामभवद्‌ राजन प्रयुतान्यर्बुदानि च

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca purā so 'ntar-jala-gataḥ sthāṇu-bhūto mahā-vrataḥ | varṣāṇām abhavad rājan prayutāny arbudāni ca ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ରାଜନ୍! ପୁରାତନ କାଳରେ ମହାବ୍ରତଧାରୀ ମହାଦେବ ଜଳଭିତରେ ପ୍ରବେଶ କରି ସ୍ତମ୍ଭ ପରି ନିଶ୍ଚଳ ହୋଇ ରହିଲେ। ସେ ଦଶ-ଦଶ ହଜାର ବର୍ଷ, ଏବଂ ତାହାଠାରୁ ଅଧିକ ଅସଂଖ୍ୟ କୋଟି ବର୍ଷ ତପ କଲେ।

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पुरा: formerly, in ancient times
• पुरा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अन्तर्जल-गतः: gone within the water, submerged
• अन्तर्जल-गतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तर्जलगत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्थाणु-भूतः: become like a stump/pillar (motionless)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थाणुभूत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाव्रतः: of great vow, great-vowed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाव्रत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वर्षाणाम्: of years
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• अभवत्: was, became; (it) amounted to
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• प्रयुतानि: ten-thousands (units of 10,000)
• प्रयुतानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयुत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• अर्बुदानि: arbuda-units (a very large number; traditionally 10^7 or 10^8 depending on system)
• अर्बुदानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्बुद
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (speaker)
• King (addressed as rājan)
• Mahadeva/Shiva (implied by the narrative context in the provided Hindi gloss)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic value of unwavering resolve (dhṛti) and rigorous self-restraint (tapas) as means to spiritual attainment—steadfastness so firm it is likened to a motionless pillar.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma recounts an ancient episode in which a great vow-holder (understood here as Mahadeva/Shiva) stands submerged in water, perfectly still, performing austerities for an unimaginably long span of time.