Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

योगो योगविदां नेता प्रधानपुरुषेश्वर: । नारसिंहवपु: श्रीमान्‌ केशव: पुरुषोत्तम:

Transliteration

yogo yogavidāṁ netā pradhāna-puruṣeśvaraḥ | nārasiṁha-vapuḥ śrīmān keśavaḥ puruṣottamaḥ ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ସେଇ ଯୋଗ, ଯୋଗବିଦ୍ମାନଙ୍କର ନେତା; ସେଇ ପ୍ରଧାନ (ପ୍ରକୃତି) ଓ ପୁରୁଷର ଈଶ୍ୱର। ସେଇ ଶ୍ରୀମାନ୍, ନରସିଂହ-ବପୁ ଧାରଣ କରୁଥିବା; ସେଇ କେଶବ; ଏବଂ ସେଇ ପୁରୁଷୋତ୍ତମ—କ୍ଷର ଓ ଅକ୍ଷର ଉଭୟରୁ ଉତ୍ତମ।

Word by Word

• योगः: Yoga; the (supreme) means of union/discipline
• योगः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• योगविदाम्: of the knowers of yoga
• योगविदाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगविद्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• नेता: leader/guide
• नेता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेतृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रधानपुरुषेश्वरः: Lord of Pradhāna (Prakṛti) and Puruṣa
• प्रधानपुरुषेश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधान-पुरुष-ईश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नारसिंहवपुः: one whose body/form is (like) man-and-lion (Narasimha-formed)
• नारसिंहवपुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-सिंह-वपुस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रीमान्: splendid; possessing Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• श्रीमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• केशवः: Keśava (epithet of Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)
• केशवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुरुषोत्तमः: the सर्वोत्तम Puruṣa; Supreme Person
• पुरुषोत्तमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष-उत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Keśava (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)
• Narasiṁha
• Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• Pradhāna (Prakṛti)
• Puruṣa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that the Supreme Lord is both the goal and the guide of spiritual discipline: He is ‘Yoga’ (inner restraint and realization), the leader of yogic knowers, and the sovereign over both Prakṛti (nature) and Puruṣa (spirit). Ethically, it links dharma to self-mastery and devotion to the highest ruler who sustains cosmic and inner order.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs and praises the Supreme through a litany of divine names and attributes. Here he enumerates epithets of Keśava—highlighting His yogic guidance, metaphysical lordship, protective Narasiṁha form, and supreme status beyond the perishable and imperishable.