Shloka 36

भीष्मस्योत्तरायणप्रतीक्षा तथा युधिष्ठिरागमनम् | Bhīṣma’s uttarāyaṇa moment and Yudhiṣṭhira’s arrival

Devanagari script

शूरसेनेषु भूत्वा स द्वारकायां वसन प्रभु: । पालयिष्यति गां देवीं विजित्य नयवित्‌ सदा

Transliteration

Śūraseneṣu bhūtvā sa Dvārakāyāṁ vasan prabhuḥ | pālayiṣyati gāṁ devīṁ vijitya nayavit sadā, nītivettā bhagavān Śrīkṛṣṇaḥ Śūrasena-deśe (Mathurā-maṇḍale) avatīrṇo bhūtvā tatraiva Dvārakā-purīṁ gatvā nivatsyati iti |

Translation

శూరసేనులలో అవతరించి ఆ ప్రభువు ద్వారకలో నివసిస్తాడు. నీతిజ్ఞుడై సమస్త రాజులను జయించి సదా ఈ భూదేవిని పరిరక్షిస్తాడు.

Word by Word

• शूरसेनेषु: among/in the Śūrasenas (country/people)
• शूरसेनेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूरसेन
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• भूत्वा: having become/being born (having come to be)
• भूत्वा: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here), Non-finite

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्वारकायाम्: in Dvārakā
• द्वारकायाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वारका
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• वसन्: dwelling/residing
• वसन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रभुः: the lord/master
• प्रभुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पालयिष्यति: will protect/maintain
• पालयिष्यति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल्
• Form: Simple Future (लृट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• गाम्: the earth (lit. cow/land)
• गाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• देवीम्: the goddess (Earth-goddess)
• देवीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• विजित्य: having conquered
• विजित्य: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund) with vi-, Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here), Non-finite

• नयवित्: knower of polity/leadership
• नयवित्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नयवित्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• नीतिवेत्ता: knower of नीति (statecraft/ethics)
• नीतिवेत्ता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीतिवेत्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भगवान्: the blessed/lordly one
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रीकृष्णः: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• श्रीकृष्णः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीकृष्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

ईश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Śūrasena (people/region)
• Mathurā-maṇḍala (Mathurā region)
• Dvārakā (Dvārakāpurī)
• Pṛthivī / Bhū-devī (Earth goddess)
• kings (rājānaḥ, implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Legitimate power is justified by dharma: the ideal ruler conquers not for ego but to establish order, and then protects the Earth through nīti—ethical policy, restraint, and welfare-oriented governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Īśvara foretells Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s descent in the Śūrasena/Mathurā region, his residence in Dvārakā, his victory over opposing kings, and his ongoing role as a master of statecraft who safeguards the Earth as a divine trust.