Shloka 57

Bhīṣma’s Śara-śayyā Stuti to Vāsudeva and Yogic Preparation for Dehotsarga

Body-Relinquishment

Devanagari script

यो5सौ युगसहसान्ते प्रदीप्तार्चिविंभावसु: । सम्भक्षयति भूतानि तस्मै घोरात्मने नम:

Transliteration

yo 'sau yuga-sahasrānte pradīptārcir vibhāvasuḥ | sambhakṣayati bhūtāni tasmai ghorātmane namaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“我顶礼那威严可畏的至上自性：在千劫终尽之时，祂化作劫火，火舌炽燃，吞噬一切众生。忆念此事，令人心生谦卑与德行自制，因为即便最强大的权势与生命，也都受制于宇宙之法。”

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• असौ: that (yonder) one
• असौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: असद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिकम्: असौ/असाव्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• युगसहस्रान्ते: at the end of a thousand yugas
• युगसहस्रान्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग-सहस्र-अन्त
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• प्रदीप्तार्चिविम्भावसुः: he whose fire has blazing flames and great radiance
• प्रदीप्तार्चिविम्भावसुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदीप्त-अर्चिस्-विम्भ-अवसु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सम्भक्षयति: devours, consumes
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (सम् + भक्ष्)
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भूतानि: beings, creatures
• भूतानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• घोरात्मने: to the dreadful-natured one
• घोरात्मने: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: घोर-आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• नमः: salutation, homage
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस्

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Vibhāvasu (Agni / cosmic fire of dissolution)
• Paramātman (implied as the ultimate being addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches reverence for the Supreme principle that governs creation and dissolution. Remembering the cosmic ‘end’ (pralaya) cultivates humility, detachment, and ethical restraint, aligning one’s conduct with dharma rather than pride in temporary power.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and higher truths. Here he offers a salutation (namas) to the Supreme as the pralaya-fire—Vibhāvasu with blazing flames—who consumes all beings at the end of vast cosmic cycles.