Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 145

रुद्र-स्तवराजः (Rudra-Stavarāja) — Exempla of Śiva’s Boons and the Hymn’s Phalaśruti

Devanagari script

देवासुरगुरुर्देवो देवासुरनमस्कृत: । देवासुरमहामात्रो देवासुरगणाश्रय:

Transliteration

devāsuragurur devo devāsuranamaskṛtaḥ | devāsuramahāmātro devāsuragaṇāśrayaḥ ||

Translation

वायु बोले—वह देवों और असुरों का गुरु है; वही परम देवस्वरूप है, जिसे देव और असुर समान रूप से नमस्कार करते हैं। वह उन सबमें श्रेष्ठ है, और देवों तथा असुरगणों के लिए आश्रय है।

Word by Word

• {'deva': 'god

• also ‘the Divine’ or ‘supreme deity’ depending on context', 'asura': 'asura

• a class of powerful beings often opposed to the devas', 'guruḥ': 'teacher, preceptor

• one who guides and instructs', 'devāsura-guruḥ': 'preceptor of both devas and asuras', 'namaskṛtaḥ': 'saluted, revered, worshipped', 'devāsura-namaskṛtaḥ': 'revered by both devas and asuras', 'mahāmātraḥ': 'lit. ‘great measure/authority’

• here: exceedingly eminent, preeminent, foremost', 'devāsura-mahāmātraḥ': 'the foremost/exceedingly eminent among devas and asuras', 'gaṇa': 'group, host, multitude', 'āśrayaḥ': 'refuge, support, shelter

• one in whom others take refuge', 'devāsura-gaṇāśrayaḥ': 'refuge/support for the hosts of devas and asuras'}

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• Devas
• Asuras
• The supreme divine being (unnamed in this verse)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that true spiritual authority and refuge transcend factional divisions: the highest divine principle is worthy of reverence from all beings—devas and asuras alike—and serves as the ultimate support beyond rivalry.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu is delivering a eulogy (stuti), describing an unnamed supreme divine figure as the universal preceptor and refuge, emphasizing that even opposing cosmic groups—gods and asuras—acknowledge and depend upon this higher divinity.