Shloka 23

Devanagari script

स्वयं पित्रा स्वरेणोच्चैस्त्रील्लॉकाननुनाद्य वै । शुकः सर्वगतो भूत्वा सर्वात्मा सर्वतोमुख:

Transliteration

svayaṁ pitrā svareṇoccais trīl lokān anunādya vai | śukaḥ sarvagato bhūtvā sarvātmā sarvatomukhaḥ ||

Translation

پھر شُک نے خود اپنے باپ ہی کی آواز اختیار کر کے بلند پکارا، یہاں تک کہ تینوں لوک گونج اٹھے۔ اور وہ ہر سو پھیل کر، سب کے آتما-سوروپ سے یکجان ہو کر، ہر سمت رُخ کرنے والا بن گیا۔

Word by Word

स्वयम्himself

पित्राby (his) father

स्वरेणwith (his) voice/tone

उच्चैःaloud, loudly

त्रीन्three

लोकान्worlds

अनुनाद्यhaving resounded/caused to resound

वैindeed

शुकःŚuka

सर्वगतःall-pervading

भूत्वाhaving become

सर्वात्माwhose self is all; universal self

सर्वतःfrom all sides, everywhere

मुखःfaced/mouthed

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Śuka

father (Vyāsa, implied)

three worlds (trailokya)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the culmination of spiritual realization: the sage transcends limited individuality and abides as the universal Self—symbolized by being “all-pervading” and “facing everywhere.” It frames liberation as identity with the Self of all beings rather than a private, isolated attainment.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s account, Śuka calls out loudly using his father’s voice so that the sound reaches the three worlds; simultaneously, he is described as becoming all-pervading and universal in awareness, indicating an extraordinary yogic/spiritual state associated with liberation.