Shloka 17

Devanagari script

शाश्वतं भूधरं देवं सर्ववागीश्चरेश्वरम्‌ । सुदुर्जयं जगन्नाथं जन्ममृत्युजरातिगम्‌,वे सनातन देव इस पृथ्वीको धारण करनेवाले तथा सम्पूर्ण वागीश्वरोंके भी ईश्वर हैं। उन्हें जीतना असम्भव है। वे जगदीश्वर जन्म, मृत्यु और जरा आदि विकारोंसे परे हैं

Transliteration

śāśvataṃ bhūdharaṃ devaṃ sarva-vāgīśvareśvaram | sudurjayaṃ jagannāthaṃ janma-mṛtyu-jarātigam ||

Translation

Vyāsa sprach: „Er ist der ewige Gott, der die Erde trägt, der höchste Herr selbst über alle Herren der Rede. Er ist unbezwingbar, Jagannātha, Herr des Universums, und er übersteigt Geburt, Tod und den Verfall des Alters.“

Word by Word

शाश्वतम्eternal

भूधरम्earth-bearer; mountain; supporter of the earth

देवम्god; deity

सर्ववागीश्वरin/among all lords of speech (all eloquent masters)

ईश्वरम्lord; ruler

सुदुर्जयम्very hard to conquer; unconquerable

जगन्नाथम्lord of the world

जन्ममृत्युजरातिगम्one who has gone beyond birth, death, and old age

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

Deva (the Supreme Lord / Jagannātha)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches the supremacy and transcendence of the Divine: the Lord sustains the world, surpasses even the greatest powers (including eloquence and authority), and is beyond the human conditions of birth, death, and aging—inviting humility and devotion amid worldly conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa delivers a hymn-like description of the Supreme Lord, emphasizing His unconquerable nature and freedom from mortal limitations, framing the surrounding events of the war within a larger, divine order.