Shloka 79
Arjuna’s Himalayan Departure and the Commencement of Severe Tapas
Janamejaya’s Inquiry; Sages Approach Śiva
गणेशं जगत: शम्भुं लोककारणकारणम् | प्रधानपुरुषातीतं परं सूक्ष्मतरं हरम्,आप भूतगणोंके स्वामी, सम्पूर्ण जगत्का कल्याण करनेवाले तथा जगत्के कारणके भी कारण हैं। प्रकृति और पुरुष दोनोंसे परे अत्यन्त सूक्ष्मस्वरूप तथा भक्तोंके पापोंको हरनेवाले हैं
arjuna uvāca | gaṇeśaṃ jagataḥ śambhuṃ lokakāraṇakāraṇam | pradhānapuruṣātītaṃ paraṃ sūkṣmataraṃ haram |
Me inclino ante Śambhu, Señor de todos los seres, benéfico soberano del universo: Él es la causa incluso de las causas del mundo. Trascendiendo tanto a Prakṛti como a Puruṣa, es el Supremo, más sutil que lo más sutil, y el que arrebata los pecados de los devotos.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents Śiva as the ultimate reality: the foundational cause behind all causation, beyond both material nature (Pradhāna/Prakṛti) and the conscious principle (Puruṣa). Ethically, it frames devotion and surrender as a means of purification—Śiva is invoked as the remover of sin and inner affliction.
Arjuna is offering a formal praise (stuti) to Śiva, identifying Him with exalted metaphysical attributes and seeking divine favor. The speech functions as a devotional invocation within the Vana Parva narrative context, where Arjuna turns to ascetic worship and prayer for spiritual and practical empowerment.