Shloka 138

Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ

Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony

Devanagari script

कृतवान्‌ यानि रूपाणि कथितानि दिवौकसै:

Transliteration

kṛtavān yāni rūpāṇi kathitāni divaukasaḥ | vatsa! brāhmaṇānām anugrahārthaṃ devair yāni yāni rūpāṇi gṛhītāni, tāni saṅkṣepataḥ śṛṇu | vatsa! tvaṃ mattaḥ yat kiñcid pṛcchasi, tāḥ sarvāḥ kathāḥ ahaṃ te vakṣyāmi ||

Translation

Vāsudeva sprach: „Liebes Kind, höre in Kürze von den verschiedenen Gestalten, die die Götter beschrieben haben—Gestalten, die Er annahm, um den Brāhmaṇas Gunst zu erweisen. Alles, wonach du mich fragst, will ich dir vollständig sagen.“

Word by Word

• कृतवान्: has done / has made
• कृतवान्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: परस्मैपद-भूतकालार्थक (कृत्: क्तवतुँ), 3, singular, masculine

• यानि: which (things)
• यानि: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, plural

• रूपाणि: forms
• रूपाणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, plural

• कथितानि: told / described
• कथितानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त, neuter, nominative/accusative, plural

• दिवौकसैः: by the gods (heaven-dwellers)
• दिवौकसैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवौकस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• वत्स: O child / dear one
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

Speaker

वासुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• Devas (divaukasaḥ)
• Brāhmaṇas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes reverence and benevolence toward brāhmaṇas as a dharmic priority, presenting divine ‘forms’ and interventions as motivated by anugraha (grace) and protection of those who uphold sacred learning and ritual order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāsudeva addresses the listener affectionately as ‘vatsa,’ promising a concise account of the various forms described by the gods and assuring that he will answer fully whatever questions are being asked.