Shloka 17

Adhyāya 70: Sātyaki’s Arrow-Display and the Bhūriśravas Engagement; Twilight Withdrawal

Devanagari script

तात! मधुका वध करनेके कारण ही देवता, दानव, मनुष्य तथा ऋषिगण श्रीजनार्दनको मधुसूदन कहते हैं ।।

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | tāta madhukā-vadha-kāraṇād eva devatā dānava manuṣyā ṛṣayaś ca śrījanārdanaṃ madhusūdanaṃ vadanti || varāhaś caiva siṃhaś ca trivikrama-gatiḥ prabhuḥ | eṣa mātā pitā caiva sarveṣāṃ prāṇināṃ hariḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Này con yêu, vì Ngài đã giết Madhu nên chư thiên, loài a-tu-la, loài người và các bậc hiền triết đều gọi Sri Janārdana là ‘Madhusūdana’. Ngài quả là Đấng Tối Thượng đã hiện thân làm Varāha (Heo Rừng), làm Narasiṃha (Người-Sư Tử), và làm Trivikrama (Đấng ba bước). Chính Hari ấy là mẹ và là cha của mọi loài hữu tình.”

Word by Word

• वराहः: boar (incarnation)
• वराहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वराह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्वा: dog
• श्वा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• सिंहः: lion
• सिंहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• त्रिविक्रमगतिः: the course/stride of Trivikrama
• त्रिविक्रमगतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिविक्रमगति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रभुः: the Lord/master
• प्रभुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एषः: this (he)
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• माता: mother
• माता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पिता: father
• पिता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• प्राणिनाम्: of living beings
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Sri Janardana (Vishnu/Krishna)
• Madhusudana
• Madhu
• Devas
• Danavas
• Humans
• Rishis
• Varaha
• Narasimha
• Trivikrama (Vamana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that the Supreme Lord (Hari/Janardana) is universally acknowledged across all orders of beings and is the ultimate source and protector of life; his names and forms (avatars) arise from his acts of safeguarding dharma and removing threats.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma addresses his listener and explains why Krishna/Vishnu is called ‘Madhusudana’ (because he killed the demon Madhu), then recalls well-known divine manifestations—Varaha, Narasimha, and Trivikrama—to affirm Hari’s lordship and parental care for all creatures.