Shloka 145
Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ
Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony
हंसकाकमयूराणां कृकलासकसारसाम् | रूपाणि च बलाकानां गृध्रचक्राज़््योरपि
haṃsakākamayūrāṇāṃ kṛkalāsakasārasām | rūpāṇi ca balākānāṃ gṛdhracakrājyor api ||
Vāsudeva dit : «Mahādeva (Śiva) revêt les formes des cygnes, des corbeaux, des paons, des lézards et des grues ; il prend aussi l’apparence des hérons, des vautours et des oiseaux cakravāka. Ainsi le Seigneur se manifeste en d’innombrables formes vivantes, montrant que le divin pénètre tous les êtres et qu’aucune créature n’est hors du champ de la vénération.»
वासुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches divine immanence: Mahādeva is not confined to a single icon or realm but pervades living nature by assuming innumerable forms. Ethically, it supports a stance of humility and reverence toward all creatures, since the divine may be present in any being.
Vāsudeva is describing Mahādeva’s manifold manifestations, listing various birds and animals to emphasize Śiva’s all-pervading power and the breadth of his forms, as part of a broader praise/exposition of Mahādeva’s greatness in the Anuśāsana Parva.