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Shloka 86

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

Anuśāsana-parva 17

महामूर्धा महामात्रो महानेत्रो निशालय: । महान्तको महाकर्णो महोष्ठश्न महाहनुः

mahāmūrdhā mahāmātro mahānetro niśālayaḥ | mahāntako mahākarṇo mahauṣṭhaś ca mahāhanuḥ ||

وایو دیو نے کہا— وہ عظیم سر اور وسیع قامت والا، بڑے بڑے نینوں والا ہے؛ وہی ‘رات کا آشیانہ’ ہے—جہاں جہالت کی تاریکی تحلیل ہو جاتی ہے۔ وہ موت کی بھی موت ہے؛ بڑے کانوں والا، موٹے ہونٹوں والا اور مضبوط، بڑے جبڑے والا ہے۔

महामूर्धाone with a great head
महामूर्धा:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहामूर्धन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
महामात्रःone with a great measure/size (very large-bodied)
महामात्रः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहामात्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
महानेत्रःone with large eyes
महानेत्रः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहानेत्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
निशालयःabode of night; (figuratively) locus of darkness/ignorance
निशालयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनिशालय
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
महान्तकःgreat destroyer; death of death
महान्तकः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहान्तक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
महाकर्णःone with large ears
महाकर्णः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहाकर्ण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
महोष्ठःone with large lips
महोष्ठः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहोष्ठ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
महाहनुःone with a great jaw/chin
महाहनुः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहाहनु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

वायुदेव उवाच

V
Vāyu (Vāyudeva)

Educational Q&A

The verse uses a chain of epithets to convey a theological idea: the described being is not merely powerful in form, but cosmically supreme—one in whom darkness (ignorance) is dissolved and who stands beyond even death (“Death to Death”).

Vāyu-deva is speaking and describing a mighty, transcendent figure through physical and metaphysical attributes—great head, eyes, ears, jaw—culminating in titles that signal cosmic sovereignty (the dissolver of darkness and the terminator of death).