Shloka 20

Keśava-tattva-kathana

On the Principle of Keśava: Cosmogony and Divine Epithets

Devanagari script

तालुदेशमथोद्दाल्य ब्राह्मणस्य महात्मन: । ज्योतिर्ज्वाला सुमहती जगाम त्रिदिवं तदा,इसी समय महात्मा ब्राह्मणके तालुदेश (ब्रह्म-रन्ध्र) का भेदन करके एक ज्योतिर्मयी विशाल ज्वाला निकली और स्वर्गकी ओर चल दी

Transliteration

tāludeśam athoddālya brāhmaṇasya mahātmanaḥ | jyotirjvālā sumahatī jagāma tridivaṃ tadā ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: Bấy giờ, xuyên thủng vùng vòm miệng—(brahma-randhra) của vị Bà-la-môn đại hồn ấy—một ngọn lửa ánh sáng rực rỡ, to lớn bừng phát, và lập tức tiến thẳng lên cõi trời. Đoạn này nêu bật lý tưởng của đời sống kỷ luật, thanh tịnh, kết thúc bằng một cuộc ra đi cát tường, nơi nội lực tâm linh được hình tượng hóa như vươn lên qua cửa ngõ tối thượng.

Word by Word

• तालु-देशम्: the palate-region (brahma-randhra area)
• तालु-देशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तालुदेश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• उद्दाल्य: having split/cleft open
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-√दल्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• ब्राह्मणस्य: of the brahmin
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• ज्योतिः-ज्वाला: a flame of light; a luminous flame
• ज्योतिः-ज्वाला: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिज्वाला
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सुमहती: very great, huge
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुमहत्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• जगाम: went
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• त्रि-दिवम्: to heaven (the threefold heaven)
• त्रि-दिवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदिव
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तदा: at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

भीष्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• brāhmaṇa (unnamed)
• tāludeśa / brahma-randhra
• jyotir-jvālā (radiant flame)
• tridiva (heaven)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents an idealized yogic departure: through purity, austerity, and inner realization, the life-force (symbolized as a radiant flame) rises through the highest aperture (brahma-randhra) toward a higher state, suggesting a meritorious or liberated end aligned with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes the moment of a great brāhmaṇa’s passing: the brahma-randhra is said to be pierced, a huge luminous flame emerges, and it travels upward to tridiva (heaven), marking an auspicious transition from embodied life to a celestial destination.