Shloka 46

Adhyāya 6: Pañca-mahābhūta–guṇa-nirdeśa and Sudarśana-dvīpa

Five Elements, Sensory Qualities, and a Cosmographic Island

Devanagari script

उपास्यते तिग्मतेजा यत्र भूत: समन्तत: । नरनारायणो ब्रह्मा मनु: स्थाणुश्व पजचम:

Transliteration

upāsyate tigmatejā yatra bhūtaḥ samantataḥ | nara-nārāyaṇo brahmā manuḥ sthāṇuś ca pañcamaḥ ||

Translation

సంజయుడు అన్నాడు—ఆ పవిత్ర ప్రాంతమున నలుమూలలా సమస్త భూతములు తిగ్మతేజస్సుగల సనాతన భూతపతిని ఉపాసించుచున్నవి. అక్కడ నర-నారాయణులు, బ్రహ్మ, మనువు, మరియు ఐదవడైన స్థాణువు (శివుడు) నిత్యము నివసించుచున్నారు.

Word by Word

• उपास्यते: is worshipped
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस् (आस्)
• Form: Present, Atmanepada (Passive sense), 3rd, Singular

• तिग्मतेजा: the sharp-/fierce-radiant one
• तिग्मतेजा: Karta
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: तिग्मतेजस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र

• भूतः: the being; the lord of beings (contextual)
• भूतः: Karta
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: भूत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समन्ततः: on all sides; all around
• समन्ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः

• नरनारायणः: Nara and Nārāyaṇa
• नरनारायणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-नारायण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (ब्रह्मा)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मनुः: Manu
• मनुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्थाणुः: Sthāṇu (Śiva)
• स्थाणुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थाणु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पञ्चमः: the fifth
• पञ्चमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhūtanātha (Lord of beings)
• Nara
• Nārāyaṇa
• Brahmā
• Manu
• Sthāṇu (Śiva)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid the war narrative, the text points to a higher axis of dharma: the cosmos is sustained by reverence for the supreme Lord (Bhūtanātha), and the greatest authorities—Nara-Nārāyaṇa, Brahmā, Manu, and Śiva—are portrayed as abiding in that sacred presence, emphasizing devotion and divine order as foundational.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a holy locus where all beings worship a fiercely radiant, eternal Lord. He lists exalted divine figures who are said to dwell there, underscoring the sanctity and cosmic significance of that place while the Kurukṣetra events unfold.