Shloka 17

Devanagari script

जगत्पतिरनिर्देश्य: सर्वग: सर्वभावन: । हृच्छय: सर्वभूतानां ज्येष्ठो रुद्रादपि प्रभु:

Transliteration

jagatpatir anirdeśyaḥ sarvagaḥ sarvabhāvanaḥ | hṛcchayaḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ jyeṣṭho rudrād api prabhuḥ ||

Translation

ภีษมะกล่าวว่า: พระผู้เป็นเจ้าแห่งจักรวาลยากจะพรรณนาให้ชัดเจน; พระองค์แผ่ซ่านไปทั่วและก่อกำเนิดสภาวะทั้งปวง. พระองค์สถิตในดวงใจของสรรพสัตว์ทั้งหลาย; พระองค์เป็นผู้เก่าแก่ยิ่งและเป็นมหาอธิปติ—ยิ่งใหญ่กว่าแม้รุทระในอำนาจ.

Word by Word

जगत्पतिःlord of the world

अनिर्देश्यःindescribable; not to be indicated/defined

सर्वगःall-pervading; going everywhere

सर्वभावनःcreator/sustainer of all beings; one who brings forth all

हृच्छयःdweller in the heart

सर्वभूतानाम्of all beings

ज्येष्ठःeldest; greatest; foremost

रुद्रात्than Rudra; from Rudra

अपिeven; also

प्रभुःlord; master

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Jagatpati (the Lord of the universe)

Rudra

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

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 that the highest Lord is both transcendent (indescribable) and immanent (present in every heart), the ultimate source and ruler of all existence; recognizing this supports a dharmic life grounded in devotion and humility.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma continues his instruction on dharma and sacred duties; here he offers a praise-description of the Supreme Lord, emphasizing divine omnipresence and supremacy even over great deities like Rudra.