Shloka 17

Bhīṣma’s Śara-śayyā Stuti to Vāsudeva and Yogic Preparation for Dehotsarga

Body-Relinquishment

Devanagari script

शुचिं शुचिपदं हंसं तत्पदं परमेष्ठिनम्‌

Transliteration

śuciṁ śucipadaṁ haṁsaṁ tatpadaṁ parameṣṭhinam

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—“పరమ పవిత్రుడైనవానిని, పవిత్రతయే ఆయన స్థానం అయినవానిని ధ్యానించుడి; ఆ హంస-స్వరూపుడైన పరమాత్మిక ‘హంస’ను—అదే పరమ పదము, పరమేష్ఠి (అత్యున్నతుడు) యొక్క నివాసము।”

Word by Word

• शुचिम्: pure
• शुचिम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शुचिपदम्: having a pure abode/footing
• शुचिपदम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचिपद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• हंसम्: the swan (Hamsa)
• हंसम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तत्पदम्: having that as its abode/footing
• तत्पदम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत्पद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परमेष्ठिनम्: the Supreme Lord (Parameshthin)
• परमेष्ठिनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमेष्ठिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Haṁsa
• Parameṣṭhin

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates purity (śuci) and the ‘pure abode’ (śucipada) as the spiritual orientation for dharma: peace and right living are grounded in inner cleansing and contemplation of the highest reality, symbolized as the haṁsa and named Parameṣṭhin.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and the means to peace after the war. Here he uses compact, mantra-like epithets to direct attention toward meditative remembrance of the supreme, presenting the highest goal as purity and the exalted ‘abode’ of Parameṣṭhin.