Shloka 72

Devanagari script

वेधा: स्वाड्रोडजित: कृष्णो दृढ: सड्कर्षणो<च्युत: । वरुणो वारुणो वृक्ष: पुष्कराक्षो महामना:

Transliteration

vedhāḥ svāḍro 'jitaḥ kṛṣṇo dṛḍhaḥ saṅkarṣaṇo 'cyutaḥ | varuṇo vāruṇo vṛkṣaḥ puṣkarākṣo mahāmanāḥ ||

Translation

भीष्म उवाच—वेधा स्वाड्रोजितः कृष्णो दृढः सङ्कर्षणोऽच्युतः । वरुणो वारुणो वृक्षः पुष्कराक्षो महामनाः ॥

Word by Word

• वेधाः: the ordainer/creator
• वेधाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेधस्/वेधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वाड्रुः: self-sufficient helper/one who aids by himself
• स्वाड्रुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाड्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अजितः: unconquered
• अजितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अजित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृष्णः: Krishna
• कृष्णः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दृढः: firm/steadfast
• दृढः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सङ्कर्षणः: Sankarshana (Balarama/one who draws together)
• सङ्कर्षणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्कर्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अच्युतः: Achyuta (the infallible one)
• अच्युतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वरुणः: Varuna
• वरुणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वारुणः: of Varuna/Varuna-born
• वारुणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वृक्षः: tree
• वृक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुष्कराक्षः: lotus-eyed
• पुष्कराक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्कराक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महामनाः: great-minded
• महामनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महामनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Kṛṣṇa
• Saṅkarṣaṇa (Balarāma)
• Varuṇa
• Vasiṣṭha (by traditional gloss on vāruṇa)
• Aśvattha (by traditional gloss on vṛkṣa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches contemplative devotion through divine epithets: the Supreme is portrayed as unconquerable, unwavering, and infallible, governing creation and dissolution while sustaining cosmic order. Remembering these names frames ethical life as alignment with a stable, righteous cosmic principle (ṛta/dharma).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and praises the Supreme through a sequence of names and attributes. This verse continues that litany, identifying the Lord with cosmic functions (ordination, dissolution), divine guardianship (Varuṇa), and auspicious iconography (lotus eyes, sacred tree).