Shloka 64

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

Body-Relinquishment

Devanagari script

अकुण्ठं सर्वकार्येषु धर्मकार्यार्थमुद्यतम्‌ । वैकुण्ठस्य च तद्‌ रूप॑ तस्मै कार्यात्मने नम:

Transliteration

akuṇṭhaṁ sarvakāryeṣu dharmakāryārtham udyatam | vaikuṇṭhasya ca tad rūpaṁ tasmai kāryātmane namaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩曰：礼敬彼主——于诸事业无所阻碍，恒常奋志成就法之事业；彼自身即是毗昆陀（Vaikuṇṭha）之形相，其本质为利世之有效行动。向此“事业之我”，我致敬。

Word by Word

• अकुण्ठम्: unhindered, unimpeded
• अकुण्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकुण्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सर्वकार्येषु: in all actions/undertakings
• सर्वकार्येषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वकार्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• धर्मकार्य: of righteous duty (dharma-work)
• धर्मकार्य: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मकार्य
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अर्थम्: for the sake/purpose
• अर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उद्यतम्: raised/ready/striving
• उद्यतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्यत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वैकुण्ठस्य: of Vaikuṇṭha (Vishnu/His abode)
• वैकुण्ठस्य: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैकुण्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

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

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

• रूपम्: form, nature
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• तस्मै: to him/to that (one)
• तस्मै: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative, Singular

• कार्यात्मने: to the one whose essence is action / the action-embodied
• कार्यात्मने: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्यात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

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

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Vaikuntha
• Bhagavan (Vishnu/Narayana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that the highest object of reverence is the power that acts without obstruction for the sake of dharma. Divine greatness is characterized by unfailing effectiveness (akuṇṭhatā) and constant commitment to righteous purpose (dharma-kārya), presenting an ethical ideal of action aligned with righteousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and right conduct after the war. Here he offers a brief hymn of salutation, identifying the Lord (associated with Nārāyaṇa/Viṣṇu) as the unobstructed doer of dharmic work and as the very embodiment of Vaikuṇṭha, reinforcing devotion alongside ethical instruction.