Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 117

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

Anuśāsana-parva 17

Devanagari script

गान्धारश्न सुवासश्न॒ तपःसक्तो रतिर्नर: । महागीतो महानृत्यो हाप्सरोगणसेवित:

Transliteration

gāndhāraś ca suvāsaś ca tapaḥ-sakto ratir naraḥ | mahāgīto mahānṛtyo 'psarogaṇa-sevitaḥ ||

Translation

Thần Vāyu nói: “Ngài là Gāndhāra, lại cũng là Suvāsa; là bậc nam thần chuyên chú khổ hạnh, và chính là hiện thân của hoan lạc. Ngài được ca tụng vang dội trong thánh ca, lừng danh bởi vũ điệu hùng tráng, được các đoàn Apsarā vây quanh phụng sự.”

Word by Word

• गान्धारः: Gāndhāra (a musical mode/one named Gāndhāra)
• गान्धारः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गान्धार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुवासः: Suvāsa (one dwelling in a fair abode; name/epithet)
• सुवासः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तपःसक्तः: attached to austerity; devoted to penance
• तपःसक्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् + सक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रतिः: delight; love; pleasure
• रतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• नरः: man; person (here: the great Person)
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महागीतः: greatly sung/praised; whose glory is sung
• महागीतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + गीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महानृत्यः: great dancer; performing great dance
• महानृत्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + नृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अप्सरोगणसेवितः: served/attended by a host of apsarases
• अप्सरोगणसेवितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्सरस् + गण + सेवित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• Gāndhāra
• Suvāsa
• Apsarases (apsarogaṇa)
• Kailāsa (in the traditional gloss)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links spiritual discipline (tapas) with refined, sacred expression (song and dance), portraying an exalted being whose greatness is affirmed by śāstra and whose presence harmonizes ascetic power with aesthetic and celestial splendor.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu is describing a revered figure through a chain of epithets—associating him with musical identity (Gāndhāra), a beautiful abode (Suvāsa), devotion to austerity, celebrated renown, powerful dance, and attendance by Apsarases—thereby elevating the subject’s stature and qualities.