Shloka 17
तात! मधुका वध करनेके कारण ही देवता, दानव, मनुष्य तथा ऋषिगण श्रीजनार्दनको मधुसूदन कहते हैं ।। वराहश्वैव सिंहश्न त्रिविक्रमगति: प्रभु: । एष माता पिता चैव सर्वेषां प्राणिनां हरि:,वे ही भगवान् समय-समयपर वाराह, नृसिंह और वामनके रूपमें प्रकट हुए हैं। ये श्रीहरि ही समस्त प्राणियोंके पिता और माता हैं
bhīṣma uvāca | tāta madhukā-vadha-kāraṇād eva devatā dānava manuṣyā ṛṣayaś ca śrījanārdanaṃ madhusūdanaṃ vadanti || varāhaś caiva siṃhaś ca trivikrama-gatiḥ prabhuḥ | eṣa mātā pitā caiva sarveṣāṃ prāṇināṃ hariḥ ||
भीष्म उवाच—तात! मधुवधकारणाद् देवदानवमनुष्यर्षयः सर्वे श्रीजनार्दनं मधुसूदनमिति वदन्ति। स एव प्रभुः वराहरूपेण नृसिंहरूपेण त्रिविक्रमगतिना च युगयुगे प्रादुर्भूतः। एष हरिः सर्वेषां प्राणिनां माता पिता च।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the Supreme Lord (Hari/Janardana) is universally acknowledged across all orders of beings and is the ultimate source and protector of life; his names and forms (avatars) arise from his acts of safeguarding dharma and removing threats.
Bhishma addresses his listener and explains why Krishna/Vishnu is called ‘Madhusudana’ (because he killed the demon Madhu), then recalls well-known divine manifestations—Varaha, Narasimha, and Trivikrama—to affirm Hari’s lordship and parental care for all creatures.