Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 37

भीष्मस्योत्तरायणप्रतीक्षा तथा युधिष्ठिरागमनम् | Bhīṣma’s uttarāyaṇa moment and Yudhiṣṭhira’s arrival

Devanagari script

त॑ भवन्त: समासाद्य वाड्माल्यैरह्णैवरै: | अर्चयन्तु यथान्यायं ब्रह्माणमिव शाश्वतम्‌

Transliteration

te bhavantaḥ samāsādya vāṅmālyair ahnaivaraiḥ | arcayantu yathānyāyaṃ brahmāṇam iva śāśvatam ||

Translation

Vậy, hãy nương tựa nơi Đấng ấy, đến gần Ngài và phụng thờ đúng phép—dâng những tràng hoa kết bằng lời thiêng, cùng các nghi lễ hằng ngày tinh tuyển—tôn kính Ngài như tôn kính Brahmā vĩnh cửu.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भवन्तः: you (honorific), sirs
• भवन्तः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• समासाद्य: having approached / having taken refuge in
• समासाद्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√सद्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• वाक्-माल्यैः: with garlands of words (verbal garlands)
• वाक्-माल्यैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्-माल्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अर्ह्णैः: with acts of honoring / offerings
• अर्ह्णैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्हण
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• वरैः: excellent, best
• वरैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अर्चयन्तु: let them worship / may they honor
• अर्चयन्तु: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्च्
• Form: Imperative, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• यथा-न्यायम्: according to rule / duly
• यथा-न्यायम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + न्याय
• Form: true

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā / the Creator
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव
• Form: true

• शाश्वतम्: eternal
• शाश्वतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

ईश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (the Lord)
• Brahmā
• vāṅmālya (garlands of speech)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should take refuge in the Lord and worship Him rightly (yathā-nyāyam), combining inner devotion expressed through truthful, reverent speech (vāṅmālya) with disciplined, excellent observances. Proper intention and correct practice together constitute dharmic worship.

What is happening in the narrative?

Īśvara instructs the listeners that, after approaching and relying upon Him, they should honour Him with verbal praises and the best daily offerings, worshipping Him with the same reverence accorded to the eternal Brahmā—emphasizing regulated devotion rather than casual or self-willed practice.