Shloka 154

यथाप्रधानं भगवानिति भक्‍त्या स्तुतो मया । यन्न ब्रह्मादयो देवा विदुस्तत्त्वेन नर्षय:

yathāpradhānaṃ bhagavān iti bhaktyā stuto mayā | yan na brahmādayo devā vidus tattvena na ṛṣayaḥ ||

Vāyu said: “With devotion I have praised the Blessed Lord as ‘the Supreme Principle (Pradhāna) itself’—a truth that even Brahmā and the other gods, and even the sages, do not fully know in its real essence.”

यथाas, according to
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
प्रधानम्chiefly; in due order/according to importance
प्रधानम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रधान
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
भगवान्the Blessed Lord
भगवान्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभगवत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
इतिthus
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
भक्त्याwith devotion
भक्त्या:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootभक्ति
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular
स्तुतःpraised
स्तुतः:
TypeVerb
Rootस्तु (धातु) → स्तुत (क्त)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, Passive (past participle)
मयाby me
मया:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormInstrumental, Singular
यत्which (that reality/thing)
यत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
ब्रह्मादयःBrahmā and others
ब्रह्मादयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन् + आदि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
देवाःthe gods
देवाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदेव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
विदुःknow
विदुः:
TypeVerb
Rootविद्
FormPerfect, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada
तत्त्वेनin reality; truly; as it is
तत्त्वेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootतत्त्व
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
ऋषयःthe sages
ऋषयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootऋषि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

वायुदेव उवाच

V
Vāyudeva (Vāyu)
B
Bhagavān (the Lord)
B
Brahmā
D
Devas
Ṛṣis

Educational Q&A

Even the highest beings—gods like Brahmā and great sages—may not fully grasp the Lord’s ultimate essence; therefore, devotion and humility are presented as appropriate responses when approaching the Supreme Reality.

Vāyu speaks in the first person, stating that he has offered a devotional praise of the Lord as the supreme foundational principle, and he underscores the Lord’s transcendence by noting that this truth is beyond the complete comprehension of even gods and sages.