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Shloka 5

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 130: Kuntī’s Instruction on Rājadharma and Daṇḍanīti

अड्गुष्ठमात्रास्त्रिदशा मुमुचु: पावकार्चिष: । तस्य ब्रह्मा ललाटस्थो रुद्रो वक्षसि चाभवत्‌

aṅguṣṭhamātrās tridaśā mumucuḥ pāvakārciṣaḥ | tasya brahmā lalāṭastho rudro vakṣasi cābhavat |

Vaiśaṃpāyana nói: Khi Keśava—kẻ diệt các dũng sĩ địch—cất tiếng cười lớn, rợn người, những thần linh nhỏ bằng ngón tay cái, rực sáng như tia chớp, liền phóng ra những lưỡi lửa. Trong hình tướng kỳ diệu ấy, Brahmā hiện trên trán Người, và Rudra ngự nơi ngực Người—dấu hiệu rằng Đấng Chúa tể hàm chứa và điều ngự các quyền năng nâng đỡ và tiêu dung thế gian.

अङ्गुष्ठमात्राःthumb-sized
अङ्गुष्ठमात्राः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअङ्गुष्ठमात्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
त्रिदशाःgods (the thirty-three)
त्रिदशाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootत्रिदश
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
मुमुचुःreleased, let go
मुमुचुः:
TypeVerb
Rootमुच्
FormPerfect (Paroksha), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada
पावक-अर्चिषःflames of fire
पावक-अर्चिषः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपावक-अर्चिस्
FormFeminine, Accusative, Plural
तस्यof him
तस्य:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
ब्रह्माBrahmā
ब्रह्मा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन् (ब्रह्मा)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
ललाटस्थःsituated on the forehead
ललाटस्थः:
TypeAdjective
Rootललाटस्थ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
रुद्रःRudra (Śiva)
रुद्रः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootरुद्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वक्षसिin/on the chest
वक्षसि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootवक्षस्
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अभवत्was, became
अभवत्:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormImperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśaṃpāyana
K
Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)
T
Tridaśas (devas)
P
Pāvaka (Agni/fire)
B
Brahmā
R
Rudra (Śiva)

Educational Q&A

The verse emphasizes Kṛṣṇa’s cosmic supremacy: creator (Brahmā) and destroyer (Rudra) are shown as present within him, implying that worldly power and even divine functions operate under the Lord’s higher sovereignty—an ethical reminder that war’s outcomes unfold within a larger moral-cosmic order (dharma), not merely human ambition.

After Kṛṣṇa’s forceful declaration (contextually, confronting opponents and the coming conflict), he gives a thunderous laugh. At that moment, tiny devas, brilliant like lightning, emit flames, and Brahmā and Rudra are seen positioned on his forehead and chest—an awe-inspiring manifestation that signals impending devastation for adversaries and reveals his divine, all-encompassing form.