Shloka 8

Bhīṣma’s Hymn to Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa’s Criteria for Divine Self-Disclosure

Devanagari script

अतसीपुष्पसंकाशं पीतवाससमच्युतम्‌ । वपुहनिमिमीमस्ते मेघस्येव सविद्युत:

Transliteration

atāsīpuṣpasaṅkāśaṁ pītavāsasam acyutam | vapur aham imīmāṁs te meghasyeva savidyutaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“你的形体幽暗如阿多西花，黄衣更增其庄严。你从不失落自身的神圣威德。见到你，我便推知你如同挟带闪电而辉煌的雨云。”

Word by Word

• अतसीपुष्पसंकाशम्: resembling an atasi-flower
• अतसीपुष्पसंकाशम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतसीपुष्पसंकाश
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पीतवाससम्: wearing yellow garments
• पीतवाससम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीतवासस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अच्युतम्: Acyuta (Krishna)
• अच्युतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वपुः: form, body
• वपुः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ईमस्ते: I have approached/come to (behold)
• ईमस्ते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईमस् (√इ/ए ‘to go/approach’)
• Form: Perfect, 1, Singular

• मेघस्य: of a cloud
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेघ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• सविद्युतः: with lightning
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सविद्युत्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Acyuta (Kṛṣṇa/Viṣṇu)
• pītāmbara (yellow garment)
• megha (cloud)
• vidyut (lightning)
• atāsī flower

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse models devotional discernment: by contemplating the Lord’s visible signs—His unfallen majesty (acyuta) and auspicious beauty—one recognizes divine sovereignty and steadiness, encouraging faith and ethical steadiness grounded in dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma addresses Acyuta (Krishna/Viṣṇu) in praise, describing His dark radiance and yellow garment, and likening His splendor to a rain-cloud illuminated by lightning—an image of awe, protection, and divine presence.