Shloka 193

Adhyāya 284: Tapas as a Corrective to Household Attachment

Parāśara’s Instruction

Devanagari script

यथा सर्वेषु देवेषु वरिष्ठो भगवान्‌ शिव: । तथा स्तवो वरिष्ठो5यं स्तवानां ब्रह्मसम्मित:

Transliteration

yathā sarveṣu deveṣu variṣṭho bhagavān śivaḥ | tathā stavo variṣṭho 'yaṃ stavānāṃ brahmasammitaḥ ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—సర్వ దేవతలలో భగవాన్ శివుడు యథా శ్రేష్ఠుడో, అలాగే ఈ స్తవము స్తోత్రాలన్నిటిలో శ్రేష్ఠము—బ్రహ్మసమముగా గణింపబడినది.

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• सर्वेषु: among all
• सर्वेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• देवेषु: among the gods
• देवेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• वरिष्ठः: the most excellent
• वरिष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शिवः: Shiva
• शिवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: so, likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• स्तवः: hymn, praise
• स्तवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वरिष्ठः: the best
• वरिष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्तवानाम्: of hymns/praises
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• ब्रह्मसम्मितः: equal to Brahman (supremely venerable)
• ब्रह्मसम्मितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मसम्मित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Śiva
• stava (hymn of praise)
• Brahman

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates devotion expressed through sacred praise: as Śiva is supreme among the gods, so a particular stuti is declared supreme among hymns, even ‘equal to Brahman’—implying that rightly directed praise can function as a highest spiritual means and embodiment of sacred truth.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and spiritual disciplines. Here he introduces or commends a specific hymn of praise to Śiva, asserting its unsurpassed status and sanctity.