Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 42

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

Devanagari script

धर्माणां देशिक: साक्षात्‌ स भविष्यति धर्मभाक्‌ । धर्मवद्धिः स देवेशो नमस्कार्य: सदोद्यतै:

Transliteration

dharmāṇāṁ deśikaḥ sākṣāt sa bhaviṣyati dharmabhāk | dharmavṛddhiḥ sa deveśo namaskāryaḥ sadodyataiḥ |

Translation

其人将成为正法的亲授导师，并真实分受正法之果。是故，崇尚义行者当恒常精进、坚定不懈，礼敬诸天之主——婆苏提婆（Vāsudeva）——彼乃护持并增长正法者。

Word by Word

• धर्माणाम्: of dharmas / of righteousness (principles)
• धर्माणाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• देशिकः: teacher, instructor
• देशिकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देशिक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• साक्षात्: directly, in person, manifestly
• साक्षात्: Visheshana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात्

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

• भविष्यति: will be / will become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• धर्मभाक्: partaker of dharma (its fruit)
• धर्मभाक्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मभाज्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मवत्: righteous, possessing dharma
• धर्मवत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

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

• देवेशः: Lord of the gods
• देवेशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नमस्कार्यः: worthy of salutation
• नमस्कार्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नमस्कार्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• उद्यतैः: by the ready/zealous (persons)
• उद्यतैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्यत
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

ईश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara
• Deveśa
• Vāsudeva

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that one who truly instructs and upholds dharma becomes a sharer in its spiritual fruits; therefore, righteous people should continually offer reverence to Vāsudeva, portrayed as the divine source and augmenter of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Īśvara speaks in praise of Vāsudeva, presenting him as the supreme divine authority connected with the teaching and flourishing of dharma, and urges devoted practitioners to bow to him with constant zeal.