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Shloka 3

ब्राह्मण–क्षत्रिय-श्रेष्ठता-विवादः

Arjuna–Vāyu Dialogue on Brāhmaṇa and Kṣatriya Precedence

अतितेजस्विन: सर्वे महावीर्या महागजा: । धारयन्ति महीं कृत्स्नां सशैलवनकाननाम्‌,“यह रसातलमें विचरनेवाला, महाबली, शक्ति-शाली, महान्‌ सत्त्व और पराक्रमसे युक्त तेजस्वी रेणुक नामवाला नाग यहाँ उपस्थित है। सब-के-सब महान्‌ गजराज (दिग्गज) अत्यन्त तेजस्वी और महापराक्रमी होते हैं। वे पर्वत, वन और काननोंसहित समूची पृथ्वीको धारण करते हैं

atitejasvinaḥ sarve mahāvīryā mahāgajāḥ | dhārayanti mahīṁ kṛtsnāṁ saśailavanakānanām ||

“บรรดามหาคช (ทิศกช) เหล่านั้นล้วนรุ่งเรืองยิ่งและทรงมหาวีรยภาพ ทั้งยังค้ำจุนแผ่นดินทั้งปวงไว้ พร้อมด้วยภูผา พนไพร และพฤกษาวนานานา”

अतितेजस्विनःexceedingly radiant/very powerful
अतितेजस्विनः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअतितेजस्विन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
सर्वेall
सर्वे:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
महावीर्याःof great strength/energy
महावीर्याः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहावीर्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
महागजाःgreat elephants (diggajas)
महागजाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहागज
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
धारयन्तिthey bear/support
धारयन्ति:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootधृ
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
महींthe earth
महीं:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमही
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
कृत्स्नाम्entire/whole
कृत्स्नाम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootकृत्स्न
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
सशैलवनकाननाम्together with mountains, forests, and groves
सशैलवनकाननाम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootस-शैल-वन-कानन
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
M
mahāgaja (diggaja)
M
mahī (earth)
Ś
śaila (mountains)
V
vana (forests)
K
kānana (groves/woodlands)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the idea of cosmic order: powerful beings (diggajas) symbolically sustain the world. Ethically, it implies that strength and brilliance are meant for supporting and stabilizing the larger whole, not for disruption.

Bhīṣma is describing the mighty elephants associated with the quarters (diggajas), portraying them as extraordinarily powerful supports of the earth along with its natural features—mountains and forests—within a mythic-cosmological frame.