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Shloka 21

स देवानां मानुषाणां पितृणां तमेवाहुर्यज्ञविदां वितानम्‌ । स एव काल॑ विभजन्नुदेति तस्योत्तरं दक्षिणं चायने द्वे

sa devānāṁ mānuṣāṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ tam evāhur yajñavidāṁ vitānam | sa eva kālaṁ vibhajann udeti tasyottaraṁ dakṣiṇaṁ cāyane dve ||

毗湿摩说道:唯有他被宣称为诸天、人类与祖灵(Pitṛ)的本我。通晓祭祀者称他为祭(yajña)的真实展开与统摄之理。正是他分判时序,以太阳之相升起;而两条运行之道——北行(uttarāyaṇa)与南行(dakṣiṇāyaṇa)——即是他的两条路径。

सःhe; that (one)
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
देवानाम्of the gods
देवानाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootदेव
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
मानुषाणाम्of humans
मानुषाणाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootमानुष
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
पितॄणाम्of the ancestors (Pitṛs)
पितॄणाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
तम्him
तम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
एवindeed; only
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
आहुःthey say; they have declared
आहुः:
TypeVerb
Rootअह्
FormPerfect (Paroksha), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
यज्ञविदाम्of the knowers of sacrifice
यज्ञविदाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootयज्ञविद्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
वितानम्the spread/expanse; (here) the sacrificial ‘vitanam’ (extended rite/arrangement)
वितानम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवितान
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
एवindeed
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
कालम्time
कालम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकाल
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
विभजन्dividing; apportioning
विभजन्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootविभज्
FormPresent active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
उदेतिrises; comes forth
उदेति:
TypeVerb
Rootउद् + इ
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
तस्यof him; his
तस्य:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
उत्तरम्the northern (course/way)
उत्तरम्:
Karta
TypeNoun/Adjective
Rootउत्तर
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
दक्षिणम्the southern (course/way)
दक्षिणम्:
Karta
TypeNoun/Adjective
Rootदक्षिण
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अयनेthe two courses/paths (solsticial movements)
अयने:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअयन
FormNeuter, Nominative, Dual
द्वेtwo
द्वे:
Karta
TypeNumeral/Adjective
Rootद्वि
FormNeuter, Nominative, Dual

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma (भीष्म)
D
Devas (देवाः)
M
Manushyas/Humans (मानुषाः)
P
Pitrs/Ancestors (पितरः)
Y
Yajña (यज्ञ)
K
Kāla/Time (काल)
S
Sūrya/Sun (implied by 'udeti' and division of time)
U
Uttarāyaṇa (उत्तरायण)
D
Dakṣiṇāyaṇa (दक्षिणायन)

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches the unity of the Supreme with the entire cosmic and moral order: the same Reality is the inner Self of gods, humans, and ancestors, the principle underlying sacrifice, and the regulator of time as the sun’s course. Dharma and ritual gain depth when seen as participation in that single, all-pervading order.

In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma continues his instruction to Yudhishthira on dharma and higher truths. Here he identifies the Supreme (understood in context as Śrī Kṛṣṇa/Nārāyaṇa) as the foundation of yajña and as the cosmic regulator manifesting through time and the sun’s two annual courses, uttarāyaṇa and dakṣiṇāyaṇa.