Shloka 58

Saṃhāra-krama (The Sequence of Cosmic Dissolution) — Yājñavalkya’s Discourse

Devanagari script

परं हि तद्‌ ब्रह्म महन्महात्मन्‌ ब्रह्माणमीशं वरदं च विष्णुम्‌ भवं च धर्म च षडाननं च यद्‌ ब्रह्मपुत्रांश्व महानुभावान्‌

Transliteration

paraṁ hi tad brahma mahan-mahātman brahmāṇam īśaṁ varadaṁ ca viṣṇum bhavaṁ ca dharmaṁ ca ṣaḍānanaṁ ca yad brahma-putrāṁś ca mahānubhāvān

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“大士啊，至上梵（Brahman）确为最高。凭借瑜伽之力，已臻圆满的圣者若其愿意，便可即刻得解脱，证知至上的本性。又或凭同一瑜伽自在，他亦能趋至并入于诸崇高神力之前：主宰梵天（Brahmā）、赐福的毗湿奴（Viṣṇu）、婆伽（Bhava，即湿婆 Śiva）、法（Dharma）与六面者（Ṣaḍānana，即迦尔蒂凯耶 Kārttikeya），以及梵天意生的卓越诸子，如萨那迦等（Sanaka）。然而此教诫强调：真正的成就并非炫示神通；最高目的在于归入梵，而其余所得不过是瑜伽道德律中次要的可能。”

Word by Word

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• हि: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• ब्रह्म: Brahman (the Absolute)
• ब्रह्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• महात्मन्: O great-souled one
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ईशम्: the Lord
• ईशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वरदम्: boon-giving
• वरदम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• विष्णुम्: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भवम्: Bhava (Śiva)
• भवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• धर्मम्: Dharma (the deity/principle)
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• षडाननम्: the six-faced one (Kārttikeya/Skanda)
• षडाननम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: षडानन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• यत्: which/that
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• ब्रह्मपुत्रान्: sons of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मपुत्रान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• महानुभावान्: great/glorious beings
• महानुभावान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महानुभाव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Brahman (Supreme Brahman)
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Bhava (Śiva)
• Dharma (deity/personification)
• Ṣaḍānana (Kārttikeya/Skanda)
• Brahmā’s sons (Sanaka and related sages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse places liberation in Brahman as the highest goal; yogic powers may grant access to divine realms and beings, but these are secondary to mokṣa and should be governed by dharma and disciplined yoga.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs on spiritual and ethical principles; here he describes the capacities of a yoga-perfected person—either attaining immediate liberation or, if he chooses, approaching and entering the spheres of major deities and exalted sages.