Shloka 23
Adhyāya 196: Droṇa’s Conciliatory Counsel and Karṇa’s Suspicion of Counsel (मन्त्र-नय-विवादः)
स प्राञ्जलिवैं वृषवाहनेन प्रवेपमान: सहसैवमुक्तः । उवाच देवं बहुरूपमुग्र- स्रष्टाशेषस्य भुवनस्य त्वं भवाद्य:,वृषभवाहन भगवान् शंकरके द्वारा इस प्रकार सहसा गुहाप्रवेशकी आज्ञा मिलनेपर काँपते हुए इन्द्रने हाथ जोड़कर उन अनेक रूपधारी उमग्रस्वरूप रुद्रदेवले कहा--“जगद्योने! आप ही समस्त जगतकी उत्पत्ति करनेवाले आदिपुरुष हैं"
sa prāñjalir vai vṛṣavāhanena pravepamānaḥ sahasaivam uktaḥ | uvāca devaṃ bahurūpam ugra-sraṣṭāśeṣasya bhuvanasya tvaṃ bhavādyaḥ vṛṣabhavāhana bhagavān śaṅkara ||
Com as palmas unidas em reverência, tremendo, e ao receber de súbito a ordem de entrar na caverna do Senhor de estandarte taurino, Indra falou àquela divindade feroz e de muitas formas: “Ó Śaṅkara, cavalgador do touro! Tu és a fonte primordial—a causa primeira—que faz nascer o universo inteiro.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights reverence and humility before the supreme divine principle: even a powerful deity like Indra acknowledges Śiva as the primordial source and creator, modeling devotion and recognition of higher cosmic order.
Indra, suddenly instructed by the bull-mounted Lord (Śiva) and shaken with awe, folds his hands and offers praise, identifying Śiva as the many-formed, fierce deity who is the first cause and creator of the entire universe.