Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 118

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

Anuśāsana-parva 17

Devanagari script

महाकेतुर्महाधातुर्नैकसानुचरश्चल: । आवेदनीय आदेश: सर्वगन्धसुखावह:

Transliteration

mahāketur mahādhātur naikasānucaraś calaḥ | āvedanīya ādeśaḥ sarvagandhasukhāvahaḥ ||

Translation

वायुदेव बोले—“वे महाकेतु हैं, महाधातु हैं; अनेक अनुचरों के साथ विचरते हुए भी सदा चलायमान हैं। वे अपने प्रभाव से ज्ञेय, संकेतों से पहचाने जाने वाले हैं; और समस्त गन्धों का सुख प्रदान करने वाले हैं।”

Word by Word

• {'mahāketuḥ': 'having a great banner/standard

• figuratively, conspicuous or eminent', 'mahādhātuḥ': 'of great substance/elemental power

• possessing a vast constituent nature', 'naika': 'many, numerous', 'sānucaraḥ': 'with attendants/followers

• accompanied by retinue', 'calaḥ': 'moving, unsteady, mobile', 'āvedanīyaḥ': 'to be perceived/known (through sensation or manifestation)', 'ādeśaḥ': 'indication, sign, mark

• also instruction/pointing-out (here: sign/indication)', 'sarva': 'all, every', 'gandha': 'smell, fragrance', 'sukha-āvahaḥ': 'bringing happiness/pleasure

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Wind-god)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how a subtle power is recognized through its effects and signs: though unseen, it is ‘known’ by what it causes—movement, accompanying forces, and the carrying of fragrance—encouraging discernment based on observable indications rather than mere appearance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu-deva is speaking and describing a powerful, mobile presence characterized by great potency, many attendants, perceptibility through indications, and the capacity to convey pleasant fragrances—part of a didactic passage that defines qualities through attributes.