Shloka 36
दृढेयुश्न ऋतेयुश्व परिव्याधश्व कीर्तिमान् | एकत्र द्वितश्वैव त्रितश्षादित्यसांनिभा:
dṛḍheyur ṛteyuś ca parivyādhaś ca kīrtimān | ekatra dvitāś caiva tritāś cādityasaṃnibhāḥ ||
பீஷ்மர் கூறினார்—த்ருடேயு, ருதேயு, புகழ்மிகு பரிவ்யாதர்; மேலும் சூரியனை ஒத்த ஒளியுடைய ஏகத, த்வித, த்ரித—இவர்கள் ஏழுவரும் வருணனின் ரித்விக்கள்; மேற்கு திசையில் அவர்கள் வாசம் செய்கின்றனர்.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the sanctity and authority of Vedic ritual lineages: named ṛtviks of Varuṇa are portrayed as sun-radiant, implying purity, discipline, and alignment with ṛta (cosmic order). Ethical force is conveyed indirectly—dharma is upheld through properly ordered sacred offices and qualified officiants.
Bhīṣma is listing and identifying a set of seven priests associated with Varuṇa, describing their fame and brilliance and noting their residence in the western quarter. The passage functions as a catalog within Bhīṣma’s instruction, grounding his discourse in traditional sacred personages.