Shloka 35

Vyāsa’s Counsel to Yudhiṣṭhira: Pratismṛti-vidyā, Arjuna’s Aśtra-Quest, and the Move to Kāmyaka

Devanagari script

विश्वेदेवांस्तथा साध्याञ्छान्त्यर्थ भरतर्षभ । स्वस्ति ते<स्त्वान्तरिक्षेभ्य: पार्थिवेभ्यश्वु भारत

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

viśvedevāṁs tathā sādhyān śānty-arthaṁ bharatarṣabha |

svasti te 'stv āntarikṣebhyaḥ pārthivebhyaś ca śu bhārata ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：“噢，婆罗多族中的雄牛，为求安宁，我祈请毗湿毗天众与萨陀耶诸神。愿福祉归于你——来自中界诸有情，也来自大地诸有情，噢，婆罗多啊。”

Word by Word

विश्वेthe All-gods (Viśvedevas)

देवान्gods

तथाand also/likewise

साध्यान्the Sādhyas (a class of deities)

शान्ति-अर्थम्for the sake of peace

भरत-ऋषभO bull among the Bharatas

स्वस्तिwell-being; auspiciousness

तेto you/for you

अस्तुmay it be

अन्तरिक्षेभ्यःfrom the beings of the mid-region/sky

पार्थिवेभ्यःfrom earthly (beings)

अशुquickly; at once

भारतO Bhārata

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Viśvedevas

Sādhyas

Bharata lineage (address: Bharatarṣabha/Bhārata)

Antarikṣa (mid-region/atmosphere)

Pṛthivī (earth)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse models a dharmic practice of seeking peace and welfare through auspicious invocation—recognizing that harmony depends on blessings and support from both celestial and earthly spheres, and that one should begin actions with śānti and svasti.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator Vaiśampāyana offers a formal benediction, invoking Vedic divine collectives (the Viśvedevas and Sādhyas) and extending wishes of well-being from atmospheric and earthly beings, framing the surrounding events under a ritual tone of peace and protection.