Shloka 26

Devanagari script

चतुर्मूर्तिरहं शश्वल्लोकत्राणार्थमुद्यत: । आत्मानं प्रविभज्येह लोकानां हितमादथे,“मैं चार स्वरूप धारण करके सदा सम्पूर्ण लोकोंकी रक्षाके लिये उद्यत रहता हूँ। अपनेको ही यहाँ अनेक रूपोंमें विभक्त करके समस्त संसारका हित-साधन करता हूँ

Transliteration

caturmūrtir ahaṁ śaśval lokatrāṇārtham udyataḥ | ātmānaṁ pravibhajyeha lokānāṁ hitam ādadhe |

Translation

సంజయుడు అన్నాడు— “నేను నాలుగు రూపాలు ధరించి లోకాల రక్షణార్థం నిత్యం అప్రమత్తంగా ఉంటాను. ఇక్కడ నా స్వరూపాన్నే అనేక ప్రకటనలుగా విభజించి సమస్త జీవుల హితాన్ని సాధిస్తాను.”

Word by Word

चतुर्मूर्तिःone of four forms / four-formed

अहम्I

शश्वत्always, perpetually

लोकत्राणार्थम्for the purpose of protecting the worlds

उद्यतःready, intent, engaged

आत्मानम्self

प्रविभज्यhaving divided/distributed

इहhere, in this world

लोकानाम्of the worlds / of people

हितम्welfare, benefit

आदधेI undertake/establish; I bring about

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

loka (the worlds)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents a governance-of-dharma ideal: the highest agency (spoken of as “I”) safeguards the world by manifesting in multiple forms, emphasizing responsibility, protection, and universal welfare (loka-hita) as a central ethical aim.

What is happening in the narrative?

Within Sanjaya’s report, a declaration is voiced about sustaining and protecting the worlds through a fourfold manifestation and further self-division into many forms—framing the ongoing events of the war within a larger cosmic purpose of preservation and welfare.