Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 283

Devanagari script

महेश्वरक्ष लोकानां महतामीश्वरश्ष सः । समस्त कामनाओंके अधीश्वर होनेके कारण उन्हें “ईश्वर कहते हैं और महान्‌ लोकोंके ईश्वर होनेके कारण उनका नाम “महेश्वर' हुआ है

Transliteration

maheśvaraḥ lokānāṁ mahatām īśvaraś ca saḥ |

Translation

Vāyu said: He is called Īśvara because he is the sovereign lord over all desires and their fulfillment; and because he is the lord of the great worlds and exalted beings, he is known as Maheśvara.

Word by Word

• महेश्वरः: Maheshvara (the Great Lord)
• महेश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लोकानाम्: of the worlds
• लोकानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• महताम्: of the great (ones)
• महताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• ईश्वरः: lord
• ईश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Īśvara

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse explains the ethical-theological basis of divine titles: ‘Īśvara’ denotes mastery over all desires and their outcomes, while ‘Maheśvara’ denotes supreme lordship over the great worlds and exalted beings—highlighting ultimate sovereignty as the ground for reverence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is describing and justifying the names of Śiva, clarifying why he is addressed as Īśvara and Maheśvara within the discourse of Anuśāsana Parva.