Shloka 2

Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ

Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony

Devanagari script

बश्रवे विश्वरूपाय महाभाग्यं च तत्त्वतः । सुरासुरगुरौ देवे शंकरेडव्यक्तयोनये,जो विराट विश्वरूपधारी हैं, अव्यक्तके भी कारण हैं, उन सुरासुरगुरु भगवान्‌ शंकरके माहात्म्यका यथार्थरूपसे वर्णन कीजिये

Transliteration

brūhi me viśvarūpāya mahābhāgyaṃ ca tattvataḥ | surāsuragurau deve śaṅkare ’vyaktayonaye ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Tell me, in accordance with the truth, of the real greatness and supreme fortune of Lord Śaṅkara—he who is the divine teacher of both gods and demons, who bears the cosmic, all-formed (viśvarūpa) manifestation, and who is the very source-cause even of the Unmanifest. Describe his majesty as it truly is.”

Word by Word

• ब्रूहि: tell / describe
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• विश्व-रूपाय: to the one of universal form
• विश्व-रूपाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: विश्व-रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• महाभाग्यम्: great glory / great fortune (majesty)
• महाभाग्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• तत्त्वतः: in truth / truly / as it really is
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्त्वतः (अव्यय; तत्त्व + तस्)

• सुर-असुर-गुरौ: in/with regard to the teacher of gods and asuras
• सुर-असुर-गुरौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर-असुर-गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• देवे: in the god / in the divine one
• देवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• शङ्करे: in Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शङ्करे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• अव्यक्त-योनये: to the one whose source/cause is the unmanifest
• अव्यक्त-योनये: Sampradana
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त-योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

Speaker

युधिछ्िर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Devas (Suras)
• Asuras
• Avyakta (the Unmanifest)
• Viśvarūpa (universal form)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

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.

What is happening in the narrative?

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.