Shloka 143

Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ

Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony

Devanagari script

यक्षराक्षससर्पाणां दैत्यदानवयोरपि । वपुर्धारयते देवो भूयश्व विलवासिनाम्‌

Transliteration

yakṣarākṣasasarpaṇāṁ daityadānavayor api | vapur dhārayate devo bhūyaś ca bilavāsinām ||

Translation

వాసుదేవుడు పలికెను—దేవుడు యక్ష, రాక్షస, సర్పులలోనూ, అలాగే దైత్య దానవులలోనూ దేహమును ధరించుచున్నాడు; మరల మరల పాతాళవాసుల రూపములను కూడా స్వీకరించుచున్నాడు.

Word by Word

• यक्ष: of Yakṣas
• यक्ष: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• राक्षस: of Rākṣasas
• राक्षस: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सर्पाणाम्: of serpents
• सर्पाणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्प
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• दैत्य: of Daityas
• दैत्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• दानवयोः: of Dānavas (dual form used in the dvandva chain)
• दानवयोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Dual

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• वपुः: body/form
• वपुः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धारयते: assumes/bears
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Ātmanepada

• देवः: the god (Mahādeva)
• देवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भूयः: again/further/moreover
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्

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

• विलवासिनाम्: of the dwellers of (Vi)la (i.e., subterranean/pātāla beings)
• विलवासिनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विलवासिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

Speaker

वासुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• Deva (the Divine Lord)
• Yakṣas
• Rākṣasas
• Sarpas (serpents)
• Daityas
• Dānavas
• Bilavāsins (subterranean/netherworld dwellers)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The Supreme Lord pervades all categories of beings and can manifest through any form—even those regarded as fearsome or subterranean. Ethically, this discourages arrogance and contempt, and encourages reverence, self-control, and a broader vision of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāsudeva is describing the Lord’s capacity to assume diverse embodiments across cosmic classes—yakṣas, rākṣasas, serpents, daityas, dānavas, and netherworld dwellers—emphasizing the all-encompassing scope of divine manifestation.