Shloka 44

Bhīṣma’s Yogic Departure, Royal Cremation, and Gaṅgā’s Lament (भीष्मस्य योगयुक्त्या देहत्यागः, पितृमेधः, गङ्गाविलापः)

Devanagari script

प्रभावश्चर्षिपूगस्य कथित: सुमहान्‌ मया । महेश्वरस्य संवादं शैलपुत्र्याश्न भारत

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | prabhāvaś cārṣipūgasya kathitaḥ sumahān mayā | maheśvarasya saṃvādaṃ śailaputryāś ca bhārata ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“婆罗多啊，我已叙述了众圣仙群体极其宏大的灵力与影响。我也讲述了大自在天（摩诃湿伐罗，湿婆）与山之女（乌玛）之间的对话——那是一段神圣的问答，被奉为德行与虔敬的典范。”

Word by Word

• {'prabhāvaḥ': 'power, majesty, spiritual efficacy, influence', 'ca': 'and', 'ṛṣi-pūgaḥ (ārṣipūgaḥ)': 'a multitude/assembly of sages (ṛṣis)', 'kathitaḥ': 'told, narrated, described', 'su-mahān': 'very great, exceedingly vast', 'mayā': 'by me', 'maheśvaraḥ': 'Maheshvara

• the Great Lord (Śiva)', 'saṃvādaḥ': 'dialogue, discourse, conversation (often didactic)', 'śaila-putrī': 'daughter of the mountain

• Pārvatī/Umā', 'bhārata': 'O Bharata

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Bharata (Yudhishthira as addressee)
• Rishis (assembly of sages)
• Maheshvara (Shiva)
• Shailaputri (Uma/Parvati)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the authority of dharmic instruction transmitted through revered sages and through paradigmatic divine dialogues (Śiva–Umā), implying that ethical understanding is strengthened by listening to and preserving such sacred teachings.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma, continuing his instruction to Yudhishthira, summarizes what he has already narrated: the great influence of the sages and the account of the discourse between Maheshvara (Śiva) and Uma (Pārvatī).