Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

अधिपौरुषमध्यात्ममधि भूताधिदैवतम्‌ । अधिलोकाधिविज्ञानमधियज्ञस्त्वमेव हि,अधिपौरुष, अध्यात्म, अधिभूत, अधिदैवत, अधिलोक, अधिविज्ञान और अधियज्ञ आप ही हैं

Transliteration

adhipauruṣam adhyātmam adhibhūtādhidaivatam | adhilokādhivijñānam adhiyajñas tvam eva hi ||

Translation

వాయువు పలికెను—అధిపౌరుషము, అధ్యాత్మము, అధిభూతము, అధిదైవతము, అధిలోకము, అధివిజ్ఞానము, అధియజ్ఞము—ఇవన్నియు నీవే.

Word by Word

• अधिपौरुषम्: the (principle) presiding over the person / pertaining to the supreme person
• अधिपौरुषम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिपौरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अध्यात्मम्: the spiritual/inner self (principle)
• अध्यात्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्यात्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अधि: over; with regard to; concerning
• अधि: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधि (अव्यय)

• भूत: in/with respect to beings (the elemental world)
• भूत: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• अधिदैवतम्: the presiding divine principle (over the gods/senses)
• अधिदैवतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिदैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अधिलोकम्: the principle presiding over the worlds
• अधिलोकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिलोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अधिविज्ञानम्: the principle presiding over knowledge/discernment
• अधिविज्ञानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिविज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अधियज्ञः: the presiding principle of sacrifice
• अधियज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधियज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed; alone; just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)

• हि: for; indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• the addressed Supreme Lord (implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse affirms the Lord’s all-encompassing sovereignty: the same ultimate reality presides over the individual (adhyātma), the material world (adhibhūta), the divine order (adhidaivata), the cosmic worlds (adhiloka), true knowledge (adhivijñāna), and sacrificial action (adhiyajña). Ethically, it integrates knowledge and ritual by grounding both in devotion to the one supreme source.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu (the wind-god) addresses the Supreme Lord in praise, identifying Him as the presiding principle in multiple Vedic categories (spiritual, elemental, divine, worldly, cognitive, and sacrificial). The speech functions as a theological declaration that unifies diverse aspects of dharma under one divine reality.