Shloka 101

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

Anuśāsana-parva 17

Devanagari script

बन्धनो बन्धकर्ता च सुबन्धनविमोचन: । सयज्ञारि: सकामारिर्महादंष्टी महायुध:

Transliteration

bandhano bandhakartā ca subandhanavimocanaḥ | sayajñāriḥ sakāmārir mahādaṃṣṭī mahāyudhaḥ ||

Translation

風神ヴァーユは言った。「彼は束縛そのものであり、また束縛を作り出す者でもある。しかも、最も堅固な枷から解き放つ解放者でもある。彼はダクシャ（Dakṣa）の祭祀（ヤジュニャ）に抗する者たちと共に立ち、欲望を征服した者たちとも共に立つ。彼は大いなる牙を持つ者、そして強大な武器を携える者である。」

Word by Word

• बन्धनः: the binder; bondage (as an epithet)
• बन्धनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बन्धकर्ता: maker/author of bondage
• बन्धकर्ता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्ध-कर्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• सुबन्धनविमोचनः: liberator from strong bondage
• सुबन्धनविमोचनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-बन्धन-विमोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सयज्ञारिः: one associated with the enemy of the sacrifice (yajña)
• सयज्ञारिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स-यज्ञ-अरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सकामारिः: one associated with the foe of Kāma (desire)
• सकामारिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स-काम-अरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महादंष्टी: great-fanged; having huge tusks
• महादंष्टी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-दंष्ट्रिन्/दंष्टी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महायुधः: great-weaponed; bearing mighty weapons
• महायुधः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• Dakṣa-yajña (implied by ‘yajña’ and its opponents)
• Māyā (implied by the gloss on subandhanavimocanaḥ)
• Narasiṃha (implied by the gloss on mahādaṃṣṭī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents a deliberate paradox: the Supreme can be experienced as the force that binds beings into saṃsāra (through attachment and cosmic order) and also as the grace that frees them from even the strongest bonds. Ethically, it points to inner conquest of desire and reliance on divine liberation rather than mere external ritual.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu is reciting a litany of divine epithets, praising the deity’s complex roles—creator of worldly entanglement, yet savior from it; aligned with those who opposed the Dakṣa sacrifice; and supportive of yogins who have overcome kāma—depicting both fierce and protective aspects (great fangs, mighty weapons).