Shloka 35
Vaṁśānukīrtana: From Janamejaya’s Line to Bharata–Kuru–Pāṇḍava Descendants
शलश्च शन्तनोर्भोष्मो गङ्गायां धार्मिको महान् / चित्राङ्गदविचित्रौ तु सत्यवत्यान्तु शन्तनोः
śalaśca śantanorbhoṣmo gaṅgāyāṃ dhārmiko mahān / citrāṅgadavicitrau tu satyavatyāntu śantanoḥ
Từ Śantanu, qua Gaṅgā, sinh ra bậc đại nghĩa, người giữ Dharma—Bhīṣma (cũng gọi là Śala). Và từ Śantanu, qua Satyavatī, sinh ra Citrāṅgada và Vicitravīrya.
Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Dhārmika-mahattva: Bhīṣma as exemplar of steadfast duty and vow-bound righteousness within worldly complexity.
Vedantic Theme: Niṣkāma-dharma (duty without personal claim) as a purifier leading toward inner peace (śānti).
Application: Keep commitments, act with integrity under pressure, and prioritize duty/ethics over impulse or advantage.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: sacred river / royal capital context (implied)
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.140 (Kuru genealogy context)
FAQs
This verse uses lineage to anchor dharma-teachings in well-known figures—highlighting how righteousness (as in Bhishma) is transmitted, tested, and remembered through family lines.
Indirectly: by presenting Bhishma as ‘dharmika mahān,’ it points to dharma as the guiding principle that shapes one’s destiny, reputation, and spiritual trajectory across life and death.
Choose dharma over short-term gain—your conduct becomes your legacy, just as Bhishma is remembered primarily for steadfast righteousness.