Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 94

Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ

Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony

Devanagari script

ताक्ष सप्तकपालेन देवैरन्या: प्रवर्तिता: । ततः पानीयमभवत्‌ प्रसन्ने >यम्बके भुवि

Transliteration

tākṣa saptakapalena devair anyāḥ pravartitāḥ | tataḥ pānīyam abhavat prasanne tryambake bhuvi ||

Translation

Vāsudeva nói: “Thuở trước, khi nước bị tiêu diệt vì cơn thịnh nộ của Mahādeva, chư thiên đã khởi hành một phương cách khác qua nghi lễ Saptakapāla, với Rudra làm chủ. Sau đó, nước uống mới có trên mặt đất khi Tryambaka (Śiva), Đấng ba mắt, được làm cho hài lòng.”

Word by Word

• ताक्ष: he fashioned / he produced
• ताक्ष: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ताक्ष्
• Form: Lun (Aorist), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सप्तकपालेन: by the seven-bowl (sacrifice/rite)
• सप्तकपालेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्तकपाल
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अन्याः: other (ones)
• अन्याः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रवर्तिताः: set in motion / brought about
• प्रवर्तिताः: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वृत्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Feminine, Nominative, Plural, Passive

• ततः: then / thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• पानीयम्: water (drinkable water)
• पानीयम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पानीय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अभवत्: became / came to be
• अभवत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• प्रसन्ने: when (he was) pleased
• प्रसन्ने: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• त्र्यम्बके: in/when Tryambaka (the three-eyed one, Shiva)
• त्र्यम्बके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्र्यम्बक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• भुवि: on the earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

वासुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• Devas (gods)
• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Rudra
• Tryambaka (Śiva)
• Saptakapāla-yajña (rite/sacrifice)
• Pānīya (water)
• Bhū (earth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Essential resources and social-cosmic stability depend on maintaining harmony with dharma and the divine; when divine displeasure disrupts order, sincere propitiation through appropriate rites and humility restores balance.

What is happening in the narrative?

After water is lost due to Śiva’s anger, the gods perform the Saptakapāla rite under Rudra’s lordship; once Tryambaka is pleased, potable water becomes available again on earth.