Shloka 3

Devanagari script

वसूनां वा भवानेको रुद्राणामथवा भवान्‌ | अथवा मरुतां श्रेष्ठो वज्नी वा त्रिदशेश्वर:

Transliteration

vasūnāṃ vā bhavān eko rudrāṇām athavā bhavān | athavā marutāṃ śreṣṭho vajrī vā tridaśeśvaraḥ ||

Translation

ଆପଣ ବସୁମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରୁ କେହି ଜଣେ କି, ନା ରୁଦ୍ରମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରୁ? କିମ୍ବା ମରୁତମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ? ନାହିଁ କି ଆପଣ ସ୍ୱୟଂ ବଜ୍ରଧାରୀ, ତ୍ରିଦଶମାନଙ୍କ ଈଶ୍ୱର ଇନ୍ଦ୍ର?

Word by Word

• वसूनाम्: of the Vasus
• वसूनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

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

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एकः: one
• एकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रुद्राणाम्: of the Rudras
• रुद्राणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अथ: or else / then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

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

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अथवा: or perhaps
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा

• मरुताम्: of the Maruts
• मरुताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरुत्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• श्रेष्ठः: the best, foremost
• श्रेष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वज्नी: the wielder of the thunderbolt
• वज्नी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्रिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• त्रिदशेश्वरः: lord of the thirty (gods), i.e., Indra
• त्रिदशेश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदश-ईश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछ्िर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Vasus
• Rudras
• Maruts
• Indra (Vajrī, Tridaśeśvara)
• Vajra (thunderbolt)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic humility: when confronted with extraordinary presence, one should respond with respect and discernment, seeking the true identity so that one’s speech and actions remain appropriate and righteous.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira addresses an awe-inspiring figure and, struck by the person’s majesty, wonders whether he is a divine being—one of the Vasus, Rudras, or Maruts—or even Indra himself, the thunderbolt-wielding king of the gods.