Shloka 29

ध्वजं च वाहनं चैव तस्मात्‌ स वृषभध्वज: । महादेवजी प्रसन्न हुए। उन्होंने वृषभको अपना वाहन बनाया और उसीकी आकृतिसे अपनी ध्वजाको चिह्नित किया, इसीलिये वे “वृषभध्वज” कहलाये ।। ततो देवैर्महादेवस्तदा पशुपति: कृत: । ईश्वर: स गवां मध्ये वृषभाड्क: प्रकीर्तित:,तदनन्तर देवताओंने महादेवजीको पशुओंका अधिपति बना दिया और गौओंके बीचमें उन महेश्वरका नाम “वृषभांक” रख दिया

bhīṣma uvāca | dhvajaṃ ca vāhanaṃ caiva tasmāt sa vṛṣabhadhvajaḥ | tato devair mahādevas tadā paśupatiḥ kṛtaḥ | īśvaraḥ sa gavāṃ madhye vṛṣabhāṅkaḥ prakīrtitaḥ |

بھیشم نے کہا—اس نے وِرِشبھ کو اپنا واهن (سواری) بھی بنایا اور اپنے دھوَج (علم) پر بھی اسی کا نشان ثبت کیا؛ اسی لیے وہ ‘وِرِشبھ دھوج’ کہلایا۔ پھر دیوتاؤں نے مہادیو کو ‘پشوپتی’—تمام جانداروں کے رب—کے منصب پر مقرر کیا؛ اور گایوں کے درمیان وہی پرمیشور ‘وِرِشبھانک’، یعنی بیل کے نشان والا، کے نام سے مشہور ہوا۔

ध्वजम्banner, flag
ध्वजम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootध्वज
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
वाहनम्vehicle, mount
वाहनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवाहन
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
एवindeed, just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
तस्मात्therefore, from that
तस्मात्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतस्मात् (तद्)
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद् (स)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वृषभध्वजःone whose banner bears a bull (Bull-bannered; epithet of Śiva)
वृषभध्वजः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवृषभ-ध्वज
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
देवैःby the gods
देवैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootदेव
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
महादेवःMahādeva (Śiva)
महादेवः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमहादेव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तदाat that time
तदा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा
पशुपतिःlord of creatures (Paśupati)
पशुपतिः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपशु-पति
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
कृतःmade, appointed
कृतः:
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (कृत)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, Passive (PPP)
ईश्वरःthe Lord
ईश्वरः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootईश्वर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद् (स)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
गवाम्of cows
गवाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootगो
FormFeminine, Genitive, Plural
मध्येin the midst (of)
मध्ये:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootमध्य
वृषभाङ्कःone marked with a bull (Bull-marked; epithet)
वृषभाङ्कः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवृषभ-अङ्क
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
प्रकीर्तितःwas proclaimed, was named
प्रकीर्तितः:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-कीर्त् (प्रकीर्तित)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, Passive (PPP)

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
M
Mahādeva (Śiva)
D
Devas (the gods)
V
Vṛṣabha (the bull)
D
Dhvaja (banner/standard)
V
Vāhana (mount/vehicle)
P
Paśupati (title of Śiva)
V
Vṛṣabhadhvaja (epithet of Śiva)
V
Vṛṣabhāṅka (epithet of Śiva)
G
Gavām (cattle/cows)

Educational Q&A

The verse explains how divine names arise from attributes and symbols: Śiva’s relationship with the bull (as mount and banner-emblem) signifies sovereignty, protection, and lordship over living beings, hence titles like Vṛṣabhadhvaja and Paśupati.

Bhīṣma recounts that the gods honored Mahādeva by assigning him lordship over creatures (Paśupati) and by celebrating him with epithets connected to the bull, since the bull became both his vehicle and the emblem on his standard.