Shloka 168

Devanagari script

प्रविश्य वदनं राहोर्य: सोम॑ पिबते निशि । ग्रसत्यर्क च स्वर्भानुर्भूत्वा मां सोडभिरक्षतु

Transliteration

praviśya vadanaṃ rāhor yaḥ somaṃ pibate niśi | grasaty arkaṃ ca svarbhānur bhūtvā māṃ so 'ḍabhir rakṣatu

Translation

ขอให้สวรภาณุ—ผู้เข้าสู่ปากราหูในยามราตรีแล้วดื่มโสม และผู้กลืนดวงอาทิตย์ด้วย—เมื่อมีเขี้ยวทั้งหกแล้ว จงคุ้มครองข้าพเจ้าเถิด

Word by Word

• प्रविश्य: having entered
• प्रविश्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश्
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• वदनम्: mouth, face
• वदनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वदन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• राहोः: of Rahu
• राहोः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: राहु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सोमम्: the Moon
• सोमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पिबते: drinks
• पिबते: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, Third, Singular

• निशि: at night
• निशि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• ग्रसति: swallows, devours
• ग्रसति: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रस्
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, Third, Singular

• अर्कम्: the Sun
• अर्कम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• स्वर्भानुः: Svarbhanu (Rahu)
• स्वर्भानुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्भानु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उड्भिः: with stars/astral bodies
• उड्भिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उड्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• रक्षतु: may (he) protect
• रक्षतु: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada, Third, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Rāhu
• Soma
• Arka (Sun)
• Svarbhānu

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse functions as an invocation for protection, drawing on powerful cosmic imagery (eclipse myths) to express the idea that formidable forces—those capable of overpowering even the Sun and Moon—can be appealed to as guardians.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma utters a protective formula, referring to the eclipse-being (Svarbhānu/Rāhu) who is said to ‘drink Soma’ at night and ‘seize the Sun,’ and asks that being to protect him, described here as having six fangs.