Shloka 11
Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ
Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony
अर्थात् प्रियतरत्वं च सर्वलोकेषु वै तदा । प्राप्तवानेव राजेन्द्र सुवर्णक्षान्महेश्वरात्
arthāt priyataratvaṃ ca sarvalokeṣu vai tadā | prāptavāneva rājendra suvarṇakṣān maheśvarāt, bharatanandana |
Bhishma said: “Thus, O king, he then attained the state of being most beloved in all the worlds—as though he had received it from Maheshvara himself. O joy of the Bharatas, it is said that in former times, having pleased Mahadeva at the Badarikashrama, Krishna received from that great Lord, endowed with divine vision, a dearness surpassing all attainments; therefore he became the most beloved of all beings in every realm.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Devotion and humility before the divine bring a higher ‘fruit’ than material gains: the grace that makes one universally dear and beneficial to the world. The verse frames Krishna’s universal belovedness as arising from pleasing Mahadeva, highlighting that spiritual merit and divine favor surpass ordinary achievements.
Bhishma, instructing the king, explains a traditional account: Krishna once pleased Mahadeva at Badarikashrama and thereby obtained a special divine favor—being supremely beloved across all worlds. This is used to underscore Krishna’s greatness and the power of devotion.