Shloka 113

Adhyāya 284: Tapas as a Corrective to Household Attachment

Parāśara’s Instruction

Devanagari script

आप कामस्वरूप, कामनाओंको पूर्ण करनेवाले, कामदेवके नाशक, तृप्त और अतृप्तका विचार करनेवाले, सर्वस्वरूप, सब कुछ देनेवाले, सबके संहारक और संध्याकालके समान रंगवाले हैं। आपको प्रणाम है ।।

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca |

āpa kāmasvarūpaḥ kāmanāḥ pūrayitā kāmadevanāśakaḥ tṛptātṛptavivecakaḥ sarvasvarūpaḥ sarvadātā sarvasaṃhārakaḥ sandhyākālasamānarāgaḥ asi | te namaḥ ||

mahābala mahābāho mahāsattva mahādyute |

mahāmeghacayaprakhya mahākāla namo'stu te ||

Translation

Бхишма сказал: Ты — сама форма желания: исполняющий все стремления и вместе с тем сокрушитель бога желания. Ты различаешь состояние насыщения и ненасыщения; Ты — образ всего, дарующий всё и растворяющий всё. Твой цвет подобен сумеречному небу. Я преклоняюсь перед Тобой. О могучий, о сильнорукий, о великой сущности, о великого сияния — о Махакала, тёмный, как громада высоких туч, — поклонение Тебе.

Word by Word

• महाबल: O very strong one
• महाबल: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• महाबाहो: O mighty-armed one
• महाबाहो: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• महासत्त्व: O one of great essence/valor
• महासत्त्व: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महासत्त्व
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• महाद्युते: O one of great splendor
• महाद्युते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाद्युति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• महामेघचयप्रख्य: O one resembling a mass of great clouds
• महामेघचयप्रख्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महामेघचयप्रख्य
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• महाकाल: O Mahākāla (Great Time/Death)
• महाकाल: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकाल
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस्
• Form: true

• अस्तु: let it be
• अस्तु: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperative, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Kāmadeva
• Mahākāla

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents the supreme as both the source of desire and the power that overcomes and dissolves it. Ethically, it implies that dharmic life is not merely about suppressing impulses, but about recognizing a higher governance over desire—seeking fulfillment through alignment with the ultimate, and accepting dissolution (time/death) as part of cosmic order.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva setting, Bhishma is instructing and also offering praise. Here he utters a stuti (hymn) addressing the supreme as Mahākāla—depicting an all-giving, all-dissolving reality—thereby framing his teachings on peace, restraint, and right conduct within devotion to the highest principle.