Shloka 48

Śiva-stavarāja: Upamanyu’s Preface and Initiation of the Śarva-Nāma Enumeration

Anuśāsana-parva 17

Devanagari script

गजहा दैत्यहा कालो लोकधाता गुणाकर: । सिंहशार्दूलरूपश्न आर्द्रचर्माम्बरावृत:

Transliteration

gajahā daityahā kālo lokadhātā guṇākaraḥ | siṁhaśārdūlarūpaś ca ārdracarmāmbarāvṛtaḥ ||

Translation

Vāyu-deva dit : «Il est le tueur de l’ennemi à forme d’éléphant, le destructeur des Daityas ; il est le Temps lui-même. Il soutient et nourrit les mondes, et il est un trésor de vertus nobles. Prenant les formes du lion et du tigre, il est revêtu d’un vêtement fait de la peau encore humide (du démon-éléphant).»

Word by Word

• गजहा: slayer of the elephant (elephant-demon)
• गजहा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज-हन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दैत्यहा: slayer of the daityas
• दैत्यहा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य-हन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कालः: Time; Death
• कालः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लोकधाता: supporter/sustainer of the worlds
• लोकधाता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक-धातृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गुणाकरः: mine/abode of virtues
• गुणाकरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण-आकर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सिंहशार्दूलरूपः: one whose form is (that of) lion and tiger
• सिंहशार्दूलरूपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह-शार्दूल-रूप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आर्द्रचर्माम्बरावृतः: covered with a garment of wet hide
• आर्द्रचर्माम्बरावृतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्द्र-चर्म-अम्बर-आवृत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• Daityas
• Kāla (Time/Death)
• loka (the worlds)
• lion (siṁha)
• tiger/leopard (śārdūla)
• elephant (gaja)
• hide/skin garment (carmāmbara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse praises a divine figure as both protector and destroyer: he sustains the worlds (lokadhātā) yet is also Kāla (Time/Death). Ethically, it frames righteous power as multi-dimensional—fierce against adharma (daityahā) while fundamentally grounded in virtue (guṇākaraḥ) and cosmic maintenance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu is describing and glorifying a formidable deity/hero through epithets: slayer of demon foes (including one associated with an elephant form), embodiment of Time, supporter of the worlds, and one who assumes lion/tiger forms. The striking image of being clothed in a fresh hide underscores the aftermath of a demon-slaying feat and the deity’s terrifying, protective aspect.