Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 119
Śiva-stavarāja: Upamanyu’s Preface and Initiation of the Śarva-Nāma Enumeration
Anuśāsana-parva 17
७२७ महाकेतु:--धर्मरूप महान् ध्वजावाले
toraṇas tāraṇo vātaḥ paridhī patikhecaraḥ | saṃyogo vardhano vṛddho ativṛddho guṇādhikaḥ ||
ವಾಯುದೇವನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—“ಅವನು ಮುಕ್ತಿದ್ವಾರಸ್ವರೂಪ ತೋರಣ; ದಾಟಿಸುವ ತಾರಣ; ಅವನೇ ವಾತ—ವಾಯು; ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಾಂಡದ ಪರಿಧಿ; ಆಕಾಶಚರರ ಅಧಿಪತಿ. ವೃದ್ಧಿಗೆ ಕಾರಣವಾಗುವ ಸಂಯೋಗವೂ ಅವನೇ, ವರ್ಧನವೂ ಅವನೇ; ಗುಣಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಪರಿಪಕ್ವ ವೃದ್ಧ; ಅತಿಪ್ರಾಚೀನನಾಗಿ ಅತಿವೃದ್ಧ; ಜ್ಞಾನ-ಐಶ್ವರ್ಯಾದಿ ಗುಣಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಸರ್ವಾಧಿಕ.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse praises the Supreme as both cosmic principle and moral refuge: He is the ‘gate’ to liberation and the ‘deliverer’ who carries beings across saṃsāra, while also being the sustaining force behind growth, order, and excellence in virtues.
Vāyu-deva continues a litany of divine names/epithets, describing the deity through metaphors of wind, cosmic boundary, lordship over sky-moving beings, and as the cause of increase and the most ancient, supreme in qualities.