Shloka 26

Devanagari script

चतुर्मूर्तिरहं शश्वल्लोकत्राणार्थमुद्यत: । आत्मानं प्रविभज्येह लोकानां हितमादथे,“मैं चार स्वरूप धारण करके सदा सम्पूर्ण लोकोंकी रक्षाके लिये उद्यत रहता हूँ। अपनेको ही यहाँ अनेक रूपोंमें विभक्त करके समस्त संसारका हित-साधन करता हूँ

Transliteration

caturmūrtir ahaṁ śaśval lokatrāṇārtham udyataḥ | ātmānaṁ pravibhajyeha lokānāṁ hitam ādadhe |

Translation

संजय बोले— “मैं चार रूप धारण करके सदा लोकों की रक्षा के लिए उद्यत रहता हूँ। अपने ही स्वरूप को यहाँ अनेक रूपों में विभक्त करके समस्त प्राणियों का कल्याण करता हूँ।”

Word by Word

चतुर्मूर्तिःone of four forms / four-formed

अहम्I

शश्वत्always, perpetually

लोकत्राणार्थम्for the purpose of protecting the worlds

उद्यतःready, intent, engaged

आत्मानम्self

प्रविभज्यhaving divided/distributed

इहhere, in this world

लोकानाम्of the worlds / of people

हितम्welfare, benefit

आदधेI undertake/establish; I bring about

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

loka (the worlds)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents a governance-of-dharma ideal: the highest agency (spoken of as “I”) safeguards the world by manifesting in multiple forms, emphasizing responsibility, protection, and universal welfare (loka-hita) as a central ethical aim.

What is happening in the narrative?

Within Sanjaya’s report, a declaration is voiced about sustaining and protecting the worlds through a fourfold manifestation and further self-division into many forms—framing the ongoing events of the war within a larger cosmic purpose of preservation and welfare.