Shloka 34

प्रतिग्रहभेदः — The Distinction between Giving and Accepting

Vṛṣādarbhī–Saptarṣi Dialogue

Devanagari script

सोमप: सूर्यसावित्रो दत्तात्मा पुण्डरीयक: । उष्णीनाभो नभोददश्च विश्वायुर्दीप्तिरेव च

Transliteration

somapaḥ sūryasāvitro dattātmā puṇḍarīyakaḥ | uṣṇīnābho nabhodadaś ca viśvāyur dīptir eva ca ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—అతడు సోమప, సూర్య-సావిత్ర, దత్తాత్మ, పుండరీయక అని స్తుతింపబడును; అలాగే ఉష్ణీనాభ, నభోదద, విశ్వాయు, నిజముగా దీప్తి అని కూడా.

Word by Word

सोमपःSoma-drinker

सूर्यसावित्रःSun and Savitṛ (as one epithet)

दत्तात्माself-surrendered; devoted

पुण्डरीयकःlotus-like one; Pundarīyaka

उष्णीनाभःhaving a hot navel; Uṣṇīnाभ

नभोददःsky-giver; cloud (giver of water)

चand

विश्वायुःhaving universal life; all-lived

दीप्तिःsplendour; radiance

एवindeed; just

चand

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Soma

Sūrya

Savitṛ

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 reverent recollection: by contemplating a series of divine epithets—radiance (dīpti), universal life-breath (viśvāyu), purity (puṇḍarīyaka), and self-surrender (dattātmā)—one is guided toward inner clarity, devotion, and steadiness in dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is continuing a formal enumeration of sacred names/attributes (a stotra-like catalogue). The narrative function is to glorify the revered being through multiple Vedic and symbolic titles, each pointing to a distinct ethical-spiritual quality.