Shloka 15

Adhyāya 6: Kaṅka (Yudhiṣṭhira) Seeks Refuge in Virāṭa’s Assembly

Devanagari script

तेन त्वं स्तूयसे देवि त्रिदशै: पूज्यसेडपि च । त्रैलोक्यरक्षणार्थाय महिषासुरनाशिनि । प्रसन्ना मे सुरश्रेष्ठे दयां कुर॒ु शिवा भव

Transliteration

tena tvaṁ stūyase devi tridaśaiḥ pūjyase ’pi ca | trailokya-rakṣaṇārthāya mahiṣāsura-nāśini | prasannā me suraśreṣṭhe dayāṁ kuru śivā bhava ||

Translation

Therefore, O Goddess, the gods themselves praise you and worship you. O slayer of Mahiṣāsura, who acts for the protection of the three worlds—O best among the divine—be gracious to me; show compassion and become auspicious for my sake.

Word by Word

• {'tena': 'therefore

• for that reason', 'tvam': 'you', 'stūyase': 'are praised (passive)', 'devi': 'O Goddess', 'tridaśaiḥ': 'by the thirty (i.e., the gods)', 'pūjyase': 'are worshipped/honoured (passive)', 'api': 'also

• even', 'ca': 'and', 'trailokya': 'the three worlds', 'rakṣaṇa-arthāya': 'for the purpose of protection', 'mahiṣāsura-nāśini': 'O destroyer of the demon Mahiṣāsura', 'prasannā': 'pleased

• gracious', 'me': 'to me

• for me', 'sura-śreṣṭhe': 'O best among the gods/divine beings (vocative feminine in sense, addressing the Goddess as supreme among the suras)', 'dayām': 'compassion

• mercy', 'kuru': 'do

• grant', 'śivā': 'auspicious

• benevolent', 'bhava': 'become

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Devī (Goddess)
• Tridaśa (the gods)
• Trailokya (three worlds)
• Mahiṣāsura

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames devotion as ethically grounded: the Goddess is praised not merely for power but for protecting the three worlds. The devotee seeks compassion and auspiciousness, implying that divine strength is ideally exercised as guardianship and benevolence.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker offers a hymn-like address to the Goddess, recalling her world-protecting deed—slaying Mahiṣāsura—and then petitions her to be pleased, to show mercy, and to grant auspicious welfare to the supplicant.