Shloka 2
Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ
Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony
बश्रवे विश्वरूपाय महाभाग्यं च तत्त्वतः । सुरासुरगुरौ देवे शंकरेडव्यक्तयोनये,जो विराट विश्वरूपधारी हैं, अव्यक्तके भी कारण हैं, उन सुरासुरगुरु भगवान् शंकरके माहात्म्यका यथार्थरूपसे वर्णन कीजिये
brūhi me viśvarūpāya mahābhāgyaṃ ca tattvataḥ | surāsuragurau deve śaṅkare ’vyaktayonaye ||
« Dis-moi, selon la vérité, la grandeur réelle et la suprême fortune du Seigneur Śaṅkara—maître divin des dieux comme des démons, porteur de la manifestation cosmique aux formes innombrables (viśvarūpa), et source-cause même de l’Inmanifesté. Décris sa majesté telle qu’elle est. »
युधिछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames Śiva (Śaṅkara) as a universal, transcendent principle—teacher of all beings (devas and asuras alike) and linked to the ultimate metaphysical source (avyakta). Ethically, it models humility and truth-seeking: a righteous king asks for an accurate, reality-based account (tattvataḥ) of divine greatness rather than mere hearsay.
In Anuśāsana Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira requests an authoritative description of Śiva’s true majesty—his cosmic form and his status as the guru of both gods and demons—setting up a discourse (or praise) on Śiva’s greatness and theological significance.