Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मा वसति गर्भस्थ: शरीरे सुखसंस्थित: । शर्व: सुखं संश्रितश्न शरीरे सुखसंस्थित:

Transliteration

brahmā vasati garbhasthaḥ śarīre sukhasaṁsthitaḥ | śarvaḥ sukhaṁ saṁśritaś ca śarīre sukhasaṁsthitaḥ ||

Translation

自在天说道：“梵天住于（祂）身中，如在胎藏，安住圆满安乐；我亦——娑婆（Śarva，湿婆）——欢然憩于同一圣身之内，坚住于喜乐。”

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रहन् (प्रातिपदिक: ब्रह्मन्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वसति: dwells
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वस् (निवासे)
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• गर्भस्थः: situated within the womb/inside
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्भस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शरीरे: in the body
• शरीरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• सुखसंस्थितः: comfortably situated
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुखसंस्थित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शर्वः: Śarva (Śiva)
• शर्वः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुखम्: comfort/pleasantly
• सुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• संश्रितः: having resorted to / abiding in
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-√श्रि (आश्रये) → संश्रित (क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शरीरे: in the body
• शरीरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• सुखसंस्थितः: comfortably situated
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुखसंस्थित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

ईश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara
• Brahmā
• Śarva (Śiva)
• Vāsudeva (implied by the surrounding Gītā Press prose context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches the supremacy of the Lord (identified in context with Vāsudeva): even Brahmā and Śiva abide within Him in bliss, implying that all powers and protections ultimately rest in the Supreme, and that taking refuge in Him is the highest spiritual orientation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Īśvara speaks, describing how Brahmā dwells within the Lord’s body and how Śiva (as Śarva) also resides there happily—an explicit theological affirmation meant to glorify the Lord as the inner support and refuge of the gods.