Shloka 40

Devanagari script

स पञ्चाधा पञ्चजनोपपन्नं संचोदयन्‌ विश्वमिदं सिसुक्षु: । ततश्चलकारावनिमारुतौ च खं ज्योतिरम्भश्ष॒ तथैव पार्थ

Transliteration

sa pañcadhā pañcajanopapannaṃ saṃcodayan viśvam idaṃ sisukṣuḥ | tataś calakārāvanimārutau ca khaṃ jyotir ambhaś ca tathaiva pārtha kuntīkumarāḥ |

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: Mong muốn khai sinh toàn thể vũ trụ này, Đấng Thúc Đẩy tối thượng—hiện hữu theo năm phương diện và gắn với năm loài hữu tình—đã làm cho thế gian vận hành và đặt mọi loài dưới quyền cai quản của Ngài. Rồi sau đó, theo thứ tự, Ngài tạo thành năm đại: đất, nước, lửa (ánh sáng), gió và hư không.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पञ्चधा: in five ways / fivefold
• पञ्चधा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पञ्चधा

• पञ्चजनोपपन्नम्: endowed with the five classes of beings
• पञ्चजनोपपन्नम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चजन-उपपन्न
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• संचोदयन्: impelling / setting in motion
• संचोदयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+चुद्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विश्वम्: all / entire
• विश्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सिसृक्षुः: desiring to create
• सिसृक्षुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज्
• Form: उ (desiderative participle, 'wish to do'), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ततः: then / thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• चकार: made / created
• चकार: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अवनि: earth
• अवनि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवनि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• मारुतौ: the two winds / (wind and) air (dual form)
• मारुतौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारुत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• खम्: space / sky
• खम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ज्योतिः: light / fire
• ज्योतिः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अम्भः: water
• अम्भः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्भस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तथा: thus / likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एव: indeed / just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• पार्थ: O Partha (Arjuna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कुन्तीकुमार: O son of Kunti
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुन्ती-कुमार
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Partha (Arjuna)
• Kunti-kumaras (Pandavas)
• Devas
• Asuras
• Manushyas (humans)
• Pitrs (ancestors)
• Tiryaks (animals)
• Prithvi (earth)
• Ap/Ambhas (water)
• Tejas/Jyotis (fire/light)
• Vayu/Marut (wind)
• Akasha/Kha (space/ether)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that the universe and its diverse orders of beings arise from a single governing principle that impels and sustains creation. The five great elements are produced in an ordered sequence, implying a cosmos structured by law and purpose—an ethical-metaphysical backdrop for dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma, instructing the Pandavas (addressing Arjuna as Partha), explains a doctrine of creation: the Supreme creator, intending to manifest the world, brings forth the five elements and thereby supports the five classes of beings (gods, asuras, humans, ancestors, and animals).