Shloka 4

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

Anuśāsana-parva 17

Devanagari script

यथोक्ति: साधुभि: ख्यातैर्मुनिभिस्तत्त्वदर्शिभि: | प्रवरं प्रथम स्वर्ग्य सर्वभूतहितं शुभम्‌

Transliteration

yathoktiḥ sādhubhiḥ khyātair munibhis tattvadarśibhiḥ | pravaraṃ prathamaṃ svargyaṃ sarvabhūtahitaṃ śubham ||

Translation

ವಾಯುದೇವನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧ ಸಾಧುಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ತತ್ತ್ವದರ್ಶಿ ಮುನಿಗಳು ಹೇಳಿದಂತೆ, ಈ ಸ್ತೋತ್ರವು ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠವೂ ಅಗ್ರಗಣ್ಯವೂ ಆಗಿದೆ. ಇದು ಸ್ವರ್ಗಪ್ರದ, ಸರ್ವಭೂತಹಿತಕರ ಮತ್ತು ಶುಭಕರ.

Word by Word

• यथा: as, according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• उक्ताः: said, stated
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• साधुभिः: by the good (people)
• साधुभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• ख्यातैः: by the renowned
• ख्यातैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख्यात
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• मुनिभिः: by sages
• मुनिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तत्त्वदर्शिभिः: by truth-seeing (sages)
• तत्त्वदर्शिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्वदर्शिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• प्रवरम्: excellent, best
• प्रवरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• स्वर्ग्यम्: heaven-leading, conducive to heaven
• स्वर्ग्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ग्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सर्वभूतहितम्: beneficial to all beings
• सर्वभूतहितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वभूतहित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• Sādhus (holy persons)
• Munis (sages)
• Tattvadarśins (truth-seeing seers)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse asserts the ethical and spiritual value of a sacred hymn: what is affirmed by truth-seeing sages is to be regarded as foremost, auspicious, and universally beneficial—devotion is framed not as private gain alone but as welfare for all beings.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu introduces and authorizes a hymn (stotra), emphasizing that it has been properly taught by renowned sages and is therefore supreme—capable of granting heavenly merit and bringing auspicious benefit to all creatures.