Shloka 12

धर्मद्वारबहुत्वविमर्शः — Reflection on the Many ‘Doors’ of Dharma (Śānti-parva 342)

Devanagari script

यस्य प्रसादजो ब्रह्मा रुद्रश्न क्रोधसम्भव:

Transliteration

yasya prasādajo brahmā rudraś ca krodha-sambhavaḥ

Translation

Arjuna thưa: “Nhờ ân huệ của Ngài mà Brahmā được sinh ra; và từ cơn thịnh nộ của Ngài mà Rudra xuất hiện—Ngài là nguồn cội của cả trật tự sáng tạo lẫn sức mạnh hủy diệt.”

Word by Word

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: yad
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• prasāda-jaḥ: born of (his) grace/favor
• prasāda-jaḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasāda + ja
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• rudraḥ: Rudra (Śiva)
• rudraḥ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca

• krodha-sambhavaḥ: born of (his) wrath
• krodha-sambhavaḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krodha + sambhava
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

अर्जुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Brahmā
• Rudra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames the Supreme as the ultimate source behind contrasting cosmic functions: creation (Brahmā arising from divine grace) and dissolution or fierce transformative power (Rudra arising from divine wrath). Ethically, it suggests that even opposing forces operate within a single higher order, encouraging humility and reverence toward the governing principle of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna speaks in a laudatory, theological mode, identifying the addressed Supreme being as the origin of major deities and their functions. The statement functions as praise and as a doctrinal marker within Śānti Parva’s reflective discourse on ultimate reality, governance of the cosmos, and the foundations of righteous conduct.