Shloka 83

Adhyāya 284: Tapas as a Corrective to Household Attachment

Parāśara’s Instruction

Devanagari script

आप प्रमथगणोंके अधीश्वर हैं। वृषभके कंधोंके समान आपके कंधे भरे हुए हैं। आप पिनाक धनुष धारण करते हैं। शत्रुओंका दमन करनेवाले और दण्डस्वरूप हैं। किरात या तपस्वीके रूपमें विचरते समय आप भोजपत्र और वल्कलवस्त्र धारण करते हैं। आपको नमस्कार है ।।

Transliteration

namo hiraṇyagarbhāya hiraṇyakavacāya ca | hiraṇyakṛtacūḍāya hiraṇyapataye namaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：礼敬于汝，金胎（Hiraṇyagarbha）——黄金由汝而生之本源；礼敬于汝，披金甲者；礼敬于汝，戴金冠者；礼敬于汝，黄金之主宰。汝为普罗摩他众（Pramatha-gaṇa）之统御；汝之双肩饱满如雄牛之肩；汝执持毗那迦弓（Pināka）；汝为摧伏怨敌者，亦为惩罚之杖（daṇḍa）之化身。汝游行于基拉塔（Kirāta）或苦行者之相时，身披桦皮（bhojapatra）与树皮衣（valkala）。我以至诚向汝顶礼。

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation; homage
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस्
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable interjection); governs dative

• हिरण्यगर्भाय: to Hiraṇyagarbha (golden-embryo/creator)
• हिरण्यगर्भाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यगर्भ
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• हिरण्यकवचाय: to the one with golden armor
• हिरण्यकवचाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यकवच
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya (conjunction)

• हिरण्यकृतचूडाय: to the one whose crest/matted-locks are made of gold
• हिरण्यकृतचूडाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यकृतचूड
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• हिरण्यपतये: to the lord of gold
• हिरण्यपतये: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यपति
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• नमः: salutation; homage
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस्
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable interjection); governs dative

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (speaker)
• Rudra/Shiva (implied addressee of the hymn)
• Hiraṇyagarbha (epithet)
• Pināka (bow, from the surrounding prose context)
• Pramatha-gaṇa (Shiva’s attendants, from the surrounding prose context)
• Kīrāta (hunter form, from the surrounding prose context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches reverence for the supreme, protective authority embodied in the deity: divine splendor (golden radiance) symbolizes sovereignty, protection, and the power to restrain hostility—supporting dharma through awe, devotion, and moral alignment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is reciting a hymn of praise, offering a sequence of salutations using epithets that highlight the deity’s golden radiance and lordship. The surrounding passage expands this praise with imagery of Shiva’s attendants, weapons, and ascetic/hunter forms.