Mahabharata 2.33.27–29

Arghyāharaṇa-parva (kṛṣṇa-arghya) (The First Honor — Arghya to Krishna)2.33.27–29

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Mahabharata · 2.33.27–29

॥

Devanāgarī

वैशंपायन उवाच
ततो भीष्मः शांतनवो बुद्ध्या निश्चित्य भारत ॥
वार्ष्णेयं मन्यते कृष्णम् अर्हणीयतमं भुवि ॥
एष ह्य् एषां समेतानां तेजोबलपराक्रमैः ॥
मध्ये तपन्न् इवाभाति ज्योतिषाम् इव भास्करः ॥
असूर्यम् इव सूर्येण निवातम् इव वायुना ॥
भासितं ह्लादितं चैव कृष्णेनेदं सदो हि नः ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
tato bhīṣmaḥ śāṃtanavo buddhyā niścitya bhārata ||
vārṣṇeyaṃ manyate kṛṣṇam arhaṇīyatamaṃ bhuvi ||
eṣa hy eṣāṃ sametānāṃ tejobalaparākramaiḥ ||
madhye tapann ivābhāti jyotiṣām iva bhāskaraḥ ||
asūryam iva sūryeṇa nivātam iva vāyunā ||
bhāsitaṃ hlāditaṃ caiva kṛṣṇenedaṃ sado hi naḥ ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

ततो भीष्मः शांतनवोtato bhīṣmaḥ śāṃtanavothen Bhishma, son of Shantanu,

बुद्ध्या निश्चित्य भारतbuddhyā niścitya bhāratahaving resolved with his intellect, O Bharata,

वार्ष्णेयं मन्यते कृष्णम्vārṣṇeyaṃ manyate kṛṣṇamdeems Krishna the Vrishni

अर्हणीयतमं भुविarhaṇīyatamaṃ bhuvimost worthy [of honor] on earth:

एष ह्य् एषां समेतानांeṣa hy eṣāṃ sametānāṃ"for he, among these assembled,

तेजो-बल-पराक्रमैःtejo-bala-parākramaiḥin radiance, strength, and valor,

मध्ये तपन्न् इव आभातिmadhye tapann iva ābhātishines in their midst as if blazing,

ज्योतिषाम् इव भास्करःjyotiṣām iva bhāskaraḥlike the sun among the luminaries;

असूर्यम् इव सूर्येणasūryam iva sūryeṇaas the sunless [is lit] by the sun,

निवातम् इव वायुनाnivātam iva vāyunāas the windless [is stirred] by the wind,

भासितं ह्लादितं चैवbhāsitaṃ hlāditaṃ caivaso illumined and gladdened indeed

कृष्णेन इदं सदो हि नःkṛṣṇena idaṃ sado hi naḥis this our assembly by Krishna".

वैशंपायनvaiśaṃpāyanaoriginal form "vaiśaṃpāyana", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

तेजोबलपराक्रमैःtejobalaparākramaiḥoriginal form "tejobalaparākramaiḥ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

इवाभातिivābhātioriginal form "ivābhāti", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

कृष्णेनेदंkṛṣṇenedaṃoriginal form "kṛṣṇenedaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage

Translation

Then Bhishma, son of Shantanu, having resolved with his intellect, O Bharata, deems Krishna the Vrishni most worthy of honor on earth: "For he, among these assembled, shines in their midst with radiance, strength, and valor, like the blazing sun among the luminaries. As the sunless place is lit by the sun, as the windless is stirred by the wind, so is this our assembly illumined and gladdened by Krishna."

Commentary

Bhishma, "having resolved with his intellect," names Krishna the most worthy without hesitation: among all the rulers, the foremost place rightly belongs to Him who is above all. It is significant that the wise man's reasoning arrives at the same conclusion as Narada's inner perception: both recognize in Krishna the very center. The image of the sun among the luminaries is precise -- other kings shine, but He is the source of light. The verse teaches that true honoring begins with correct recognition: the first honor belongs to the Supreme, and whoever renders it to Krishna does not exalt Him thereby (He is already above all) but becomes himself a partaker of truth. To acknowledge the primacy of the Lord is the beginning of all right order.

Version

8e457c28a4ea · published Jul 16, 2026, 3:40:27 PM UTC

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