Shloka 29

धर्मद्वारबहुत्वविमर्शः — Reflection on the Many ‘Doors’ of Dharma (Śānti-parva 342)

Devanagari script

न हि विष्णु: प्रणमति कस्मैचिद्‌ विबुधाय च

Transliteration

na hi viṣṇuḥ praṇamati kasmaicit vibudhāya ca

Translation

Arjuna said: “For Viṣṇu does not bow down to anyone—nor even to any celestial being.” In context, the line underscores Viṣṇu’s supreme, independent status, implying that ultimate reverence is due to the highest principle rather than to subordinate powers.

Word by Word

• na: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na

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

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• praṇamati: bows down/salutes
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√nam
• Form: Present (Laṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• kasmaicit: to anyone (to some person/thing whatsoever)
• kasmaicit: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: kasmat + cit
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (contextual), Dative, Singular

• vibudhāya: to a god/wise being
• vibudhāya: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibudha
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• ca: and/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca

Speaker

अर्जुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Viṣṇu
• Vibudha (celestial beings/devas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse asserts the unsurpassed sovereignty of Viṣṇu: the highest Lord is not subordinate to any being, even the devas; therefore, ultimate worship and reliance should be directed to the supreme.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna speaks to emphasize Viṣṇu’s preeminence, contrasting the supreme deity with other celestial beings and reinforcing a hierarchy of reverence within the discourse of Śānti Parva.