Shloka 13

Nāmānirukta of Nārāyaṇa (Keśava–Viṣṇu–Vāsudeva) and the Rudra–Nārāyaṇa Unity Theme

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मघोषैर्विरहित: पर्वतो5यं न शोभते । रजसा तमसा चैव सोम: सोपप्लवो यथा,“वेदध्वनि न होनेके कारण इस पर्वतकी पहले-जैसी शोभा नहीं रही। रज और तमसे आच्छन्न हो यह राहुग्रस्त चन्द्रमाके समान जान पड़ता है। देवर्षियोंसे सेवित होनेपर भी यह शैलशिखर ब्रह्मघोषके बिना भीलोंके घरकी तरह श्रीहीन प्रतीत होता है

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | brahmaghoṣair virahitaḥ parvato ’yaṃ na śobhate | rajasā tamasā caiva somaḥ sopaplavo yathā |

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—“برہماگھوش (ویدی تلاوت) سے محروم یہ پہاڑ اب پہلے کی طرح نہیں چمکتا۔ گرد و غبار اور تاریکی میں ڈھک کر یہ راہو کے گرفتہ چاند کی مانند دکھائی دیتا ہے، جس کی روشنی مضطرب اور گہنائی ہوئی ہو۔ دیورشیوں کے آنے جانے کے لائق یہ شیل-شکھر بھی وید دھونی کے بغیر بھِیلوں کے گھر کی طرح بے شکوہ اور بے برکت محسوس ہوتا ہے۔”

Word by Word

• {'brahma-ghoṣa': 'the sacred sound/chant of Brahman

• here, Vedic recitation and holy utterance', 'virahitaḥ': 'deprived of

• separated from', 'parvataḥ': 'mountain', 'ayam': 'this', 'na śobhate': 'does not shine

• does not appear beautiful', 'rajasā': 'by dust

• also by the guṇa ‘rajas’ (passion/activity)', 'tamasā': 'by darkness

• also by the guṇa ‘tamas’ (inertia/obscuration)', 'ca eva': 'and indeed', 'somaḥ': 'the moon', 'sopaplavaḥ': 'with disturbance/affliction

• eclipsed, troubled', 'yathā': 'as

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• mountain (parvata)
• Soma (the Moon)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that sacred sound—especially Vedic recitation and disciplined spiritual practice—sustains the auspiciousness and ‘radiance’ of a place and community. When such dharmic sound and conduct disappear, rajas and tamas (restlessness and obscuration) dominate, and even a naturally splendid setting appears spiritually diminished.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is describing a mountain/peak that once felt sanctified by the presence of holy recitations. Now, lacking those brahmaghoṣas, it seems dull and eclipsed—compared to the moon under affliction—signaling a perceived decline in sacred activity and the resulting loss of spiritual luster.