Shloka 38

अध्याय १६ — शङ्कर-उमा-वरदानम् तथा तण्डि-स्तुतिः (Śaṅkara–Umā Boon-Granting and Taṇḍi’s Hymn)

Devanagari script

त॑ त्वां देवासुरनरास्तत्त्वेन न विदुर्भवम्‌ मोहिता: खल्वनेनैव हृदिस्थेनाप्रकाशिना

Transliteration

taṁ tvāṁ devāsura-narās tattvena na vidur bhavam, mohitāḥ khalv anenaiva hṛdi-sthenāprakāśinā

Translation

तं त्वां देवासुरनरास्तत्त्वेन न विदुर्भवम् । मोहिताः खल्वनेनैव हृदिस्थेनाप्रकाशिना ॥

Word by Word

• तत्: that (reality/true nature)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• देव: gods
• देव: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• असुर: asuras
• असुर: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नराः: men/humans
• नराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तत्त्वेन: in truth / truly / as it really is
• तत्त्वेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• विदुः: know
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• भवम्: Bhava (Śiva)
• भवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मोहिताः: deluded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुह्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• खलु: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु

• अनेन: by this
• अनेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

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

• हृदि-स्थेन: by (that which is) situated in the heart
• हृदि-स्थेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृदि-स्थ
• Form: क्त (as adjectival formation from √स्था with उपपद), Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अप्रकाशिना: by the non-manifest / non-illuminating (one)
• अप्रकाशिना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-प्रकाशिन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva (Vāyu)
• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Bhava (epithet of Śiva)
• Devas
• Asuras
• Naras (humans)
• Māyā (deluding power)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even exalted beings—gods, asuras, and humans—fail to know Śiva’s true nature because māyā veils reality from within the heart; true knowledge requires inner illumination beyond delusion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva addresses Mahādeva (Śiva), explaining why beings cannot recognize him correctly: an inner, unmanifest veiling power (māyā) keeps them deluded, so they miss his real form and greatness.