Shloka 16

Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ

Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony

Devanagari script

एष शक्तो महाबाहुर्वक्तुं भगवतो गुणान्‌ । विभूतिं चैव कार्त्स्न्येन सत्यां माहेश्वरी नूप

Transliteration

eṣa śakto mahābāhur vaktuṁ bhagavato guṇān | vibhūtiṁ caiva kārtsnyena satyāṁ māheśvarīṁ nṛpa, nareśvara |

Translation

ఓ నరేశ్వరా! ఈ మహాబాహు శ్రీకృష్ణుడే భగవాన్ మహేశ్వరుని గుణాలను, అలాగే ఆయన సత్యమైన మాహేశ్వరీ విభూతిని సంపూర్ణంగా వర్ణించగల సమర్థుడు.

Word by Word

• एषः: this (man)
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शक्तः: able, capable
• शक्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाबाहुः: the mighty-armed one
• महाबाहुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वक्तुम्: to speak, to describe
• वक्तुम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Infinitive

• भगवतः: of the Lord
• भगवतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• गुणान्: qualities, attributes
• गुणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• विभूतिम्: manifest power, glory
• विभूतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभूति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

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

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

• कार्त्स्न्येन: in entirety, completely
• कार्त्स्न्येन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्त्स्न्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• सत्याम्: true, real (in the true form)
• सत्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्या
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• माहेश्वरीम्: belonging to Maheshvara (Śiva), Śaiva
• माहेश्वरीम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माहेश्वरी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• नृप: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• नरेश्वर: O lord of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bhagavān
• Maheśvara
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Nṛpa (the king addressed, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira in context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma emphasizes the immeasurable nature of the Lord’s virtues and divine sovereignty, suggesting that only an exceptionally qualified person can describe them fully. The ethical thrust is humility before the divine and reverence for true spiritual authority.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction to the king (Yudhiṣṭhira), he points out that a particular mighty figure is capable of narrating the complete and authentic majesty and qualities of the Supreme—explicitly identifying Śrī Kṛṣṇa as Bhagavān and associating His lordship with Maheśvara-like supremacy.