Shloka 104

Śiva-stavarāja: Upamanyu’s Preface and Initiation of the Śarva-Nāma Enumeration

Anuśāsana-parva 17

Devanagari script

धन्वन्तरिर्धूमकेतु: स्कन्दो वैश्रवणस्तथा । धाता शक्रश्न विष्णुश्न मित्रस्त्वष्टा ध्रुवी धर:

Transliteration

Dhanvantarir Dhūmaketuḥ Skando Vaiśravaṇas tathā | Dhātā Śakraś ca Viṣṇuś ca Mitras Tvaṣṭā Dhruvī Dharaḥ ||

Translation

พระวายุตรัสว่า “(นามทิพย์ที่ควรระลึกคือ:) ธันวันตริ ธูมเกตุ สกันทะ และไวศรวณะ; ธาตฤ ศักระ และวิษณุ; มิตร ตวษฏฤ ธรุวี และธระ”

Word by Word

धन्वन्तरिःDhanvantari

धूमकेतुःDhumaketu (comet; a name)

स्कन्दःSkanda

वैश्रवणःVaishravana (Kubera)

तथाand also/likewise

धाताDhata (the Creator; a deity)

शक्रःShakra (Indra)

विष्णुःVishnu

मित्रःMitra (a deity)

त्वष्टाTvashtri (the divine artisan)

ध्रुवीDhruvi (the Pole-star/steadfast one; name)

धरःDhara (the bearer; name/epithet)

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

व

वायुदेव (Vāyu)

ध

धन्वन्तरि (Dhanvantari)

ध

धूमकेतु (Dhūmaketu)

स

स्कन्द (Skanda)

व

वैश्रवण / कुबेर (Vaiśravaṇa/Kubera)

ध

धाता / धातृ (Dhātā/Dhātṛ)

श

शक्र / इन्द्र (Śakra/Indra)

व

विष्णु (Viṣṇu)

म

मित्र (Mitra)

त

त्वष्टा / त्वष्टृ (Tvaṣṭā/Tvaṣṭṛ)

ध

ध्रुवी (Dhruvī)

ध

धर (Dhara)

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 verse underscores the dharmic practice of remembrance and invocation: calling to mind deities who embody specific virtues and powers—healing (Dhanvantari), protection and victory (Skanda), rightful sovereignty (Śakra), preservation of order (Viṣṇu), harmony (Mitra), and steadfast support (Dhruvī, Dhara)—to cultivate inner steadiness and ethical resolve.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu is speaking and recites a list of divine names. Such catalogues typically function as part of a stotra/mantra-like passage, where enumerating revered beings is meant to invoke auspiciousness, protection, and alignment with dharma.