Shloka 10

Adhyāya 70: Sātyaki’s Arrow-Display and the Bhūriśravas Engagement; Twilight Withdrawal

Devanagari script

ऋषींश्वैव हि गोविन्दस्तपश्चैवाभ्यकल्पयत्‌ । स््रष्टारं जगतश्नापि महात्मा प्रभुरव्यय:

Transliteration

ṛṣīṁś caiva hi govindas tapaś caivābhyakalpayat | sraṣṭāraṁ jagataś cāpi mahātmā prabhur avyayaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Govinda—Đấng đại hồn, bậc Chúa tể tối thượng và bất hoại—đã an bài các bậc hiền triết và cũng thiết lập kỷ luật khổ hạnh (tapas). Quả thật, chính Ngài còn sinh ra Prajāpati, đấng tạo tác các thế giới.”

Word by Word

• ऋषीन्: sages
• ऋषीन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

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

• हि: for/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• गोविन्दः: Govinda (Krishna)
• गोविन्दः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तपः: austerity/penance
• तपः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• एव: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अभ्यकल्पयत्: created/ordained/arranged
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-कल्पय् (√कॢप्/कल्प्)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• स्रष्टारम्: the creator
• स्रष्टारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रष्टृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जगतः: of the world
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

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

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• महात्मा: the great-souled one
• महात्मा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रभुः: the Lord/master
• प्रभुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अव्ययः: imperishable
• अव्ययः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Govinda (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)
• Ṛṣis (sages)
• Tapaḥ (austerity)
• Jagat (the world/universe)
• Prajāpati (creator/progenitor)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse grounds dharma in a divine source: Govinda institutes the ṛṣis (authoritative seers) and tapaḥ (austerity/self-discipline), and even the cosmic creator (Prajāpati) arises from Him. Ethically, it elevates self-restraint and the guidance of realized sages as pillars of right order, ultimately rooted in the imperishable Lord.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is speaking and praising/affirming Govinda’s supreme status. He frames Govinda not only as a protector but as the originator of the institutions and beings that sustain the world—sages, austerity, and the progenitor-creator—thereby reinforcing divine sovereignty within the broader war-time discourse of Bhīṣma Parva.