Shloka 71

Devanagari script

गन्धमादनविन्ध्यौ च कृत्वा वंशध्वजौ हर: । पृथ्वीं ससागरवनां रथं कृत्वा तु शड्कर:

Transliteration

Gandhamādana-vindhyau ca kṛtvā vaṁśa-dhvajau Haraḥ | Pṛthvīṁ sa-sāgara-vanāṁ rathaṁ kṛtvā tu Śaṅkaraḥ ||

Translation

ヴィヤーサは言った。ハラ（シヴァ）はガンダマーダナとヴィンディヤの二山を、戦車の二本の旗竿とした。さらにシャンカラは、海と森を抱く大地そのものを、自らの戦車とした。

Word by Word

• गन्धमादन: Gandhamādana (mountain)
• गन्धमादन: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धमादन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विन्ध्यौ: the two Vindhya mountains / Vindhya (as a pair)
• विन्ध्यौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विन्ध्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कृत्वा: having made
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active

• वंशध्वजौ: two bamboo-bannered standards (lit. bamboo-flagpoles)
• वंशध्वजौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंशध्वज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पृथ्वीम्: the earth
• पृथ्वीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथ्वी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• ससागरवनाम्: together with oceans and forests
• ससागरवनाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ससागरवन
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• रथम्: a chariot
• रथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कृत्वा: having made
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• शङ्करः: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शङ्करः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Hara (Śiva)
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Gandhamādana
• Vindhya
• Earth (Pṛthvī)
• Oceans (Sāgara)
• Forests (Vana)
• Chariot (Ratha)
• Banner-poles/flagstaffs (Vaṁśa-dhvaja)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches humility before the divine: even mountains and the whole earth are portrayed as mere components of Śiva’s chariot, implying that worldly greatness is subordinate to cosmic order and should not become a basis for arrogance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa describes Śiva in grand, hyperbolic imagery—turning Gandhamādana and Vindhya into chariot flagpoles and the earth with its oceans and forests into the chariot—emphasizing the deity’s overwhelming, world-encompassing might.