Shloka 83

Adhyāya 284: Tapas as a Corrective to Household Attachment

Parāśara’s Instruction

Devanagari script

आप प्रमथगणोंके अधीश्वर हैं। वृषभके कंधोंके समान आपके कंधे भरे हुए हैं। आप पिनाक धनुष धारण करते हैं। शत्रुओंका दमन करनेवाले और दण्डस्वरूप हैं। किरात या तपस्वीके रूपमें विचरते समय आप भोजपत्र और वल्कलवस्त्र धारण करते हैं। आपको नमस्कार है ।। नमो हिरण्यगर्भाय हिरण्यकवचाय च । हिरण्यकृतचूडाय हिरण्यपतये नम:,हिरण्य (सुवर्ण) को उत्पन्न करनेके कारण हिरण्यगर्भ कहलाते हैं। सुवर्णके ही कवच और मुकुट धारण करनेसे आपको हिरण्यकवच और हिरण्यचूड कहा गया है। आप सुवर्णके अधिपति हैं। आपको सादर नमस्कार है

Transliteration

namo hiraṇyagarbhāya hiraṇyakavacāya ca | hiraṇyakṛtacūḍāya hiraṇyapataye namaḥ ||

Translation

त्वं प्रमथगणानामधीश्वरः। वृषभस्कन्धसमौ तव स्कन्धौ परिपूर्णौ। त्वं पिनाकधनुर्धरः, शत्रुदमनः दण्डस्वरूपश्च। किरातरूपे तपस्विरूपे वा विचरन् भोजपत्रवल्कलवस्त्राणि धारयसि। तुभ्यं नमः॥ नमो हिरण्यगर्भाय हिरण्यकवचाय च। हिरण्यकृतचूडाय हिरण्यपतये नमः॥

Word by Word

नमःsalutation; homage

हिरण्यगर्भायto Hiraṇyagarbha (golden-embryo/creator)

हिरण्यकवचायto the one with golden armor

चand

हिरण्यकृतचूडायto the one whose crest/matted-locks are made of gold

हिरण्यपतयेto the lord of gold

नमःsalutation; homage

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma (speaker)

Rudra/Shiva (implied addressee of the hymn)

Hiraṇyagarbha (epithet)

Pināka (bow, from the surrounding prose context)

Pramatha-gaṇa (Shiva’s attendants, from the surrounding prose context)

Kīrāta (hunter form, from the surrounding prose context)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches reverence for the supreme, protective authority embodied in the deity: divine splendor (golden radiance) symbolizes sovereignty, protection, and the power to restrain hostility—supporting dharma through awe, devotion, and moral alignment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is reciting a hymn of praise, offering a sequence of salutations using epithets that highlight the deity’s golden radiance and lordship. The surrounding passage expands this praise with imagery of Shiva’s attendants, weapons, and ascetic/hunter forms.