Shloka 137

Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ

Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony

Devanagari script

हृदिस्थ: सर्वभूतानां विश्वरूपो महेश्वर: । भक्तानामनुकम्पार्थ दर्शनं च यथाश्रुतम्‌

Transliteration

hṛdisthaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ viśvarūpo maheśvaraḥ | bhaktānām anukampārthaṃ darśanaṃ ca yathāśrutam ||

Translation

พระมหेशวร ผู้มีรูปเป็นสากลจักรวาล สถิตอยู่ในดวงใจของสรรพสัตว์ทั้งปวง ด้วยความกรุณาต่อภักตะ พระองค์ทรงประทานการได้เฝ้าดูพระองค์—ดังที่สืบได้ยินมาในคัมภีร์และจารีตศักดิ์สิทธิ์

Word by Word

हृदि-स्थःdwelling in the heart

सर्व-भूतानाम्of all beings

विश्व-रूपःwhose form is the universe / of universal form

महेश्वरःthe Great Lord (Maheshvara)

भक्तानाम्of devotees / for devotees

अनुकम्प-अर्थम्for the sake of compassion

दर्शनम्the manifestation / appearance / vision

चand

यथा-श्रुतम्as heard / according to what is heard (tradition)

Speaker

वासुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)

Maheśvara (the Great Lord)

all beings (sarvabhūta)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The Supreme Lord is both immanent and universal—present within the heart of every being and encompassing all as His cosmic form. Divine revelation (darśana) is not arbitrary; it is granted out of compassion to devotees, aligning with what is affirmed by sacred tradition (yathāśrutam).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāsudeva is explaining the nature of the Lord to his listener(s): the deity is inwardly present in all creatures and, when devotees seek Him with faith, He mercifully allows them a direct experience or vision, consistent with what has been transmitted in authoritative teachings.