Shloka 4

Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ

Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मविष्णुसुरेशानां स्रष्टा च प्रभुरेव च । ब्रह्मादय: पिशाचान्ता यं हि देवा उपासते

Transliteration

brahmaviṣṇusureśānāṁ sraṣṭā ca prabhureva ca | brahmādayaḥ piśācāntā yaṁ hi devā upāsate ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: He alone is the Creator and the supreme Lord even of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and the sovereigns among the gods. Indeed, the gods worship Him—along with all beings, from Brahmā at the highest to the piśācas at the lowest—affirming that true reverence is due to the one ultimate source and ruler beyond all ranks.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मविष्णुसुरेशानाम्: of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and the lords of the gods
• ब्रह्मविष्णुसुरेशानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्-विष्णु-सुरेश
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• स्रष्टा: creator
• स्रष्टा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रष्टृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• प्रभुः: lord
• प्रभुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• ब्रह्मादयः: Brahmā and others
• ब्रह्मादयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मादि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पिशाचान्ताः: ending with Piśācas (i.e., up to the Piśācas)
• पिशाचान्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिशाचान्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• उपासते: worship/attend upon
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Ātmanepada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Sureśas (lords of the gods)
• Devas
• Piśācas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that above even the highest gods stands one supreme Creator-Lord, worthy of worship by all beings; spiritual authority is grounded in ultimate sovereignty rather than mere rank or power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is describing the greatness of the supreme divine principle/person: even Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and the leading gods depend on and worship Him, and the scope of worship spans the entire cosmos from the highest to the lowest beings.