Shloka 14
Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ
Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony
ऐश्वर्य यादृशं तस्य जगद्योनेर्महात्मन: । तदयं दृष्टवान् साक्षात् पुत्रार्थे हरिरच्युत:
aiśvaryaṁ yādṛśaṁ tasya jagadyoner mahātmanaḥ | tad ayaṁ dṛṣṭavān sākṣāt putrārthe harir acyutaḥ ||
ऐश्वर्यं यादृशं तस्य जगद्योनेर्महात्मनः। तदयं दृष्टवान् साक्षात् पुत्रार्थे हरिरच्युतः॥
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the Supreme Lord’s aiśvarya (divine sovereignty) is beyond ordinary measure, and that steadfast tapas and devotion—undertaken with humility and a clear purpose—can lead to sākṣāt-darśana, a direct encounter with the divine.
Bhishma describes how Hari (Acyuta), performing austerities with the aim of obtaining a son, directly beheld the majesty of the cosmic source (jagadyoni). The statement functions as testimony to the Lord’s supreme status and the efficacy of disciplined devotion.