Shloka 157

Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ

Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony

Devanagari script

वल्गते जृम्भते चैव रुदते रोदयत्यपि । उन्मत्तमत्तरूपं च भाषते चापि सुस्वर:

Transliteration

valgati jṛmbhate caiva rudate rodayaty api | unmattamattarūpaṃ ca bhāṣate cāpi susvaraḥ ||

Translation

వాసుదేవుడు పలికెను—భగవాన్ రుద్రుడు ఎగిరి దూకుతాడు, జంభిస్తాడు; ఏడుస్తాడు, ఇతరులను ఏడిపిస్తాడు కూడా. కొన్నిసార్లు ఉన్మత్తుడి లేదా మత్తులో ఉన్నవాడి వలె మాట్లాడతాడు; మరికొన్నిసార్లు మధుర స్వరంతో ఉత్తమ వచనాలు పలుకుతాడు.

Word by Word

• वल्गते: leaps/springs about
• वल्गते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वल्ग् (धातु)
• Form: Lat, Present, Atmanepada, 3, Singular

• जृम्भते: yawns
• जृम्भते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: जृम्भ् (धातु)
• Form: Lat, Present, Atmanepada, 3, Singular

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

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

• रुदते: weeps/cries
• रुदते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुद् (धातु)
• Form: Lat, Present, Atmanepada, 3, Singular

• रोदयति: makes (others) weep
• रोदयति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुद् (धातु) (णिच्)
• Form: Lat, Present, Parasmaipada, 3, Singular

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

• उन्मत्त-मत्त-रूपम्: a form like (that of) the mad and the intoxicated
• उन्मत्त-मत्त-रूपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उन्मत्त + मत्त + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• भाषते: speaks
• भाषते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भाष् (धातु)
• Form: Lat, Present, Atmanepada, 3, Singular

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

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

• सु-स्वरः: sweet-voiced
• सु-स्वरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + स्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वासुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• Bhagavān Rudra (Śiva)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse portrays Rudra’s paradoxical, multi-faceted divinity: he can appear wild, unsettling, or socially transgressive, yet he also speaks with sweetness and excellence. Ethically, it cautions against judging spiritual greatness by outward behavior alone and points to a divine freedom that transcends ordinary categories.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāsudeva is describing Bhagavān Rudra’s observable conduct—leaping, yawning, crying, making others cry, speaking like a madman or drunkard, and then speaking beautifully—emphasizing Rudra’s awe-inspiring and unpredictable nature within the discourse of Anuśāsana Parva.