Shloka 17

अग्निस्तुति, इन्द्रदर्शन, नहुष-भयवर्णन

Agni-hymn, discovery of Indra, and the Nahuṣa threat

Devanagari script

त्वं सर्वभूतेषु शरण्य ईड्य- स्त्वया सम॑ विद्यते नेह भूतम्‌ त्वया धार्यन्ते सर्वभूतानि शक्र त्वं देवानां महिमानं चकर्थ

Transliteration

tvaṃ sarvabhūteṣu śaraṇya īḍyaḥ tvayā samaṃ vidyate neha bhūtam | tvayā dhāryante sarvabhūtāni śakra tvaṃ devānāṃ mahimānaṃ cakartha ||

Translation

Engkau adalah perlindungan bagi semua makhluk, layak dipuji; di dunia ini tiada satu pun yang setara denganmu. Wahai Śakra, olehmu semua makhluk ditopang, dan engkaulah yang menegakkan kemuliaan para dewa.

Word by Word

• {'tvam (त्वं)': 'you', 'sarva-bhūteṣu (सर्वभूतेषु)': 'among/in all beings', 'śaraṇyaḥ (शरण्यः)': 'a refuge

• one who grants protection', 'īḍyaḥ (ईड्यः)': 'worthy of praise, venerable', 'tvayā samam (त्वया समम्)': 'equal to you', 'vidyate (विद्यते)': 'is found, exists', 'na iha (नेह)': 'not here, not in this world', 'bhūtam (भूतम्)': 'a being, creature', 'dhāryante (धार्यन्ते)': 'are upheld/sustained', 'sarva-bhūtāni (सर्वभूतानि)': 'all beings', 'śakra (शक्र)': 'Śakra, epithet of Indra', 'devānām (देवानाम्)': 'of the gods', 'mahimānam (महिमानम्)': 'greatness, glory, majesty', 'cakartha (चकर्थ)': 'you have made/done

Speaker

शल्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śalya
• Śakra (Indra)
• Devas (the gods)
• All beings (sarvabhūtāni)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ideal sovereignty as protective and sustaining: the highest power is praised not merely for strength but for being a refuge to all beings and for upholding cosmic order, thereby safeguarding the gods’ rightful glory.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śalya addresses Śakra (Indra) in a hymn-like praise, declaring Indra unmatched, the supporter of all beings, and the one who has secured the eminence of the gods—an act of reverential invocation within the Udyoga Parva context.