Shloka 2
Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ
Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony
बश्रवे विश्वरूपाय महाभाग्यं च तत्त्वतः । सुरासुरगुरौ देवे शंकरेडव्यक्तयोनये,जो विराट विश्वरूपधारी हैं, अव्यक्तके भी कारण हैं, उन सुरासुरगुरु भगवान् शंकरके माहात्म्यका यथार्थरूपसे वर्णन कीजिये
brūhi me viśvarūpāya mahābhāgyaṃ ca tattvataḥ | surāsuragurau deve śaṅkare ’vyaktayonaye ||
«حدّثني، على وفق الحق، عن العظمة الحقيقية والغبطة العليا للربّ شَنْكَرَ—المعلّم الإلهي للآلهة وللأسورا معاً، حامل التجلي الكوني ذي الأشكال كلها (فيشفاروبا)، وهو عِلّةُ المصدر حتى لغير المتجلّي. صِفْ جلاله كما هو في الحقيقة.»
युधिछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames Śiva (Śaṅkara) as a universal, transcendent principle—teacher of all beings (devas and asuras alike) and linked to the ultimate metaphysical source (avyakta). Ethically, it models humility and truth-seeking: a righteous king asks for an accurate, reality-based account (tattvataḥ) of divine greatness rather than mere hearsay.
In Anuśāsana Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira requests an authoritative description of Śiva’s true majesty—his cosmic form and his status as the guru of both gods and demons—setting up a discourse (or praise) on Śiva’s greatness and theological significance.