Shloka 43

Devanagari script

ओजस्तेजोद्युतिधर: प्रकाशात्मा प्रतापन: । ऋद्धः स्पष्टाक्षरो मन्त्रश्नन्द्रांशुर्भास्करद्युति:

Transliteration

ojastejodyutidharaḥ prakāśātmā pratāpanaḥ | ṛddhaḥ spaṣṭākṣaro mantraś candrāṁśur bhāskaradyutiḥ ||

Translation

ਭੀਸ਼ਮ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—ਉਹ ਓਜ, ਤੇਜ ਅਤੇ ਦ੍ਯੁਤੀ ਦਾ ਧਾਰਕ ਹੈ; ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ ਹੀ ਉਸ ਦਾ ਆਤਮ-ਸਰੂਪ ਹੈ; ਅਤੇ ਆਪਣੀਆਂ ਵਿਭੂਤੀਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਤਪਾਉਂਦਾ ਤੇ ਨਿਯਮਿਤ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ। ਉਹ ਰਿੱਧ ਹੈ—ਧਰਮ, ਗਿਆਨ ਅਤੇ ਵੈਰਾਗ੍ਯ ਨਾਲ ਸੰਪੰਨ; ਉਸ ਦਾ ਅੱਖਰ ਸਪਸ਼ਟ ਹੈ—ਪ੍ਰਗਟ ਓੰਕਾਰ; ਉਹ ਵੇਦ-ਮੰਤ੍ਰਾਂ ਦਾ ਸਰੂਪ ਹੈ; ਉਹ ਚੰਦ੍ਰ-ਕਿਰਨਾਂ ਵਾਂਗ ਸੰਸਾਰ-ਤਾਪ ਨਾਲ ਸੜੇ ਮਨਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਠੰਢਕ ਦਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ; ਅਤੇ ਸੂਰਜ ਵਾਂਗ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ਮਾਨ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• ojas-tejo-dyuti-dharaḥ: one who bears vigor, energy, and radiance
• ojas-tejo-dyuti-dharaḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ojas/tejas/dyuti + dhara (धर)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• prakāśa-ātmā: whose nature is light; luminous in essence
• prakāśa-ātmā: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prakāśa + ātman
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• pratāpanaḥ: scorching; causing heat/ardor
• pratāpanaḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratāpana
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ṛddhaḥ: prosperous; endowed; accomplished
• ṛddhaḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṛddha
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• spaṣṭa-akṣaraḥ: having clear syllables; of clear अक्षर (e.g., Oṃ)
• spaṣṭa-akṣaraḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: spaṣṭa + akṣara
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• mantraḥ: mantra; sacred formula
• mantraḥ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• candra-aṃśuḥ: moon-rayed; having moonlike beams
• candra-aṃśuḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: candra + aṃśu
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• bhāskara-dyutiḥ: having the radiance of the sun
• bhāskara-dyutiḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhāskara + dyuti
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Oṁ (praṇava) (implicit in spaṣṭākṣara)
• Vedic mantras (Ṛg/Sāma/Yajur) (implicit in mantraḥ)
• Moon (candra) (by candrāṁśuḥ)
• Sun (bhāskara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The Divine is portrayed as the source of both power and guidance: he illuminates like the sun (knowledge, truth, moral clarity) and cools like moonbeams (mercy, relief from suffering). Ethical strength is thus not mere domination; it is illumination joined with compassionate refuge.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and extols the Supreme through a litany of epithets (commonly aligned with the Viṣṇu-sahasranāma tradition). This verse is one segment of that praise, describing the Lord’s luminous and mantra-embodied nature.