Shloka 17
Adhyāya 70: Sātyaki’s Arrow-Display and the Bhūriśravas Engagement; Twilight Withdrawal
तात! मधुका वध करनेके कारण ही देवता, दानव, मनुष्य तथा ऋषिगण श्रीजनार्दनको मधुसूदन कहते हैं ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | tāta madhukā-vadha-kāraṇād eva devatā dānava manuṣyā ṛṣayaś ca śrījanārdanaṃ madhusūdanaṃ vadanti || varāhaś caiva siṃhaś ca trivikrama-gatiḥ prabhuḥ | eṣa mātā pitā caiva sarveṣāṃ prāṇināṃ hariḥ ||
Bhishma berkata: “Wahai anakku, karena ia menewaskan Madhu, para dewa, asura, manusia, dan para resi semuanya menyebut Sri Janardana ‘Madhusudana’. Dialah Sang Penguasa yang menampakkan diri sebagai Varaha, sebagai Narasimha, dan sebagai Trivikrama yang melangkah tiga kali. Hari inilah ibu dan ayah bagi semua makhluk hidup.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the Supreme Lord (Hari/Janardana) is universally acknowledged across all orders of beings and is the ultimate source and protector of life; his names and forms (avatars) arise from his acts of safeguarding dharma and removing threats.
Bhishma addresses his listener and explains why Krishna/Vishnu is called ‘Madhusudana’ (because he killed the demon Madhu), then recalls well-known divine manifestations—Varaha, Narasimha, and Trivikrama—to affirm Hari’s lordship and parental care for all creatures.