Shloka 76

Dama-pradhāna-dharma (Self-restraint as the Root of Dharma) — Śānti-parva 154

Devanagari script

अथ रुद्र: कुमारो वा ब्रह्मा वा विष्णुरेवच

Transliteration

atha rudraḥ kumāro vā brahmā vā viṣṇur eva ca

Translation

ତେବେ—ରୁଦ୍ର ହେଉନ୍ତୁ କି କୁମାର, କି ବ୍ରହ୍ମା, କିମ୍ବା ବିଷ୍ଣୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ହେଉନ୍ତୁ।

Word by Word

• अथ: then/now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• रुद्रः: Rudra (Shiva)
• रुद्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कुमारः: Kumara (the youth/Skanda)
• कुमारः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

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

Speaker

जम्बुक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Kumāra
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Jambuka

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse gestures toward a theological framing of causality: major outcomes can be attributed to supreme divine powers (Rudra, Kumāra, Brahmā, Viṣṇu), encouraging humility about personal agency and a dharmic acceptance that higher order may govern results.

What is happening in the narrative?

Jambuka is speaking and lists prominent deities as possible ultimate agents, as part of an argument about who truly causes or authorizes events—shifting the discussion from human action alone to divine oversight.