Shloka 124

युधिष्ठिरस्य अर्जुनप्रेषण-युक्तिवर्णनम् | Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rationale for Sending Arjuna and Request to Dhaumya

Devanagari script

आदित्या वसवो रुद्रा जनार्दनमुपासते । शालग्राम इति ख्यातो विष्णुरद्भुतकर्मक:

Transliteration

ādityā vasavo rudrā janārdanam upāsate | śālagrāma iti khyāto viṣṇur adbhuta-karmakaḥ ||

Translation

आदित्य, वसु आणि रुद्र जनार्दनाची उपासना करतात. अद्भुतकर्मा विष्णू येथे ‘शालग्राम’ या नावाने प्रसिद्ध आहे.

Word by Word

आदित्याःthe Adityas

वसवःthe Vasus

रुद्राःthe Rudras

जनार्दनम्Janardana (Vishnu)

उपासतेworship/serve

शालग्रामःShalagrama

इतिthus; as

ख्यातःis known/called

विष्णुःVishnu

अद्भुतकर्मकःwhose deeds are wondrous

Speaker

घुलस्त्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

Ādityas

Vasus

Rudras

Janārdana (Viṣṇu)

Śālagrāma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the highest classes of gods revere Janārdana/Viṣṇu, and His presence can be approached through a sanctified form (Śālagrāma). The verse underscores devotion (upāsanā) and the legitimacy of worship through a revered emblem that represents divine power and protection.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker named Ghūlastya identifies Viṣṇu as ‘Śālagrāma’ and states that major divine groups (Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras) worship Him, situating Śālagrāma as a celebrated, worship-worthy manifestation within the broader Vana Parva pilgrimage/holy-site discourse.