Anushasana Parva Adhyaya 17 Shloka 73 - Mahabharata | French | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 73

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

Anuśāsana-parva 17

Devanagari script

वामदेवश्न वामश्न प्राग्‌ दक्षिणश्र॒ वामन: । सिद्धयोगी महर्षिश्न सिद्धार्थ: सिद्धसाधक:

Transliteration

vāmadevaś ca vāmaś ca prāk dakṣiṇaś ca vāmanaḥ | siddhayogī maharṣiś ca siddhārthaḥ siddhasādhakaḥ || vajrahastaś ca viṣkambhī camūstambhana eva ca | vṛttāvṛttakaraḥ tālo madhur madhukalocanaḥ ||

Translation

Vāyu dit : Il est Vāmadeva et aussi Vāma ; il est Prāk et Dakṣiṇa, et Vāmana. Il est le yogin accompli et le grand voyant ; il est Siddhārtha, celui qui fait aboutir ce qui est recherché, et Siddhasādhaka, celui qui mène les perfections à leur achèvement. Il est Vajrahasta, portant la foudre ; Viṣkambhī, l’étendue qui soutient tout ; et Camūstambhana, qui peut figer les armées ennemies. Il est Vṛttāvṛttakara, habile à former et rompre les dispositifs de bataille et à revenir sans atteinte ; il est Tāla, la profondeur fondatrice ; il est Madhu, la douceur du printemps ; et Madhukalocana, aux yeux couleur de miel.

Word by Word

वामदेवःVāmadeva (name/epithet)

वामःpleasant; left (as an epithet)

प्राक्eastward; in front; formerly

दक्षिणःright; southern; dexterous

वामनःVāmana (the dwarf incarnation/epithet)

सिद्धयोगीa perfected yogin

महर्षिःgreat seer

सिद्धार्थःone whose purpose is accomplished

सिद्धसाधकःaccomplisher of siddhis; perfected practitioner

वज्रहस्तःone having a thunderbolt in hand (Indra-like)

विष्कम्भीsupporting; expansive; one who props up

चमूस्तम्भनःone who paralyzes/halts an army

एवindeed; just; only

चand

वृत्तावृत्तकरःmaker of ‘vṛtta’ and ‘āvṛtta’ (battle formations/returns)

तालःTāla; (also) base/support (as an epithet)

मधुःMadhu; honey; spring (as an epithet)

मधुकलोचनःone whose eyes are like honey (honey-colored)

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyu (Vāyudeva)

Vāmana

Vajra (thunderbolt)

Indra (implied by the epithet Vajrahasta)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents a litany of divine names that frame the deity as simultaneously ascetic (perfected yogin, great seer), cosmic (identified with directions and foundational support), and protective in conflict (able to immobilize armies and master battle maneuvers). Ethically, it models reverent remembrance of virtues—steadfast support, disciplined accomplishment, and protection of order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu is speaking a hymn-like sequence of epithets, praising and identifying the deity through many functional names—linking spiritual attainment (siddhi, yoga) with worldly guardianship (battlefield skill, stopping hostile forces) and cosmic sovereignty (directions, foundational depth).