Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 198

Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ

Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony

Devanagari script

हेतुवादैर्विनिर्मुक्ते सांख्ययोगार्थदं परम्‌ यमुपासन्ति तत्त्वज्ञा वरं तस्माद्‌ वृणीमहे

Transliteration

hetuvādair vinirmukte sāṅkhyayogārthadaṃ param | yam upāsanti tattvajñā varaṃ tasmād vṛṇīmahe ||

Translation

释迦罗（因陀罗）说道：“彼超离诤论与徒然巧辩；为信奉者赐与数论与瑜伽之最高旨归——究竟离苦与亲证梵；为真知者恒常奉事。故我等从彼摩诃提婆求取恩赐。”

Word by Word

• हेतुवादैः: by reasoned disputations / by sophistical arguments
• हेतुवादैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतुवाद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• विनिर्मुक्ते: in (him) who is completely free
• विनिर्मुक्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनिर्मुक्त
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• सांख्ययोगार्थदम्: granting the purpose/fruit of Sāṅkhya and Yoga
• सांख्ययोगार्थदम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सांख्ययोगार्थद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपासन्ति: worship / revere
• उपासन्ति: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• तत्त्वज्ञाः: knowers of truth
• तत्त्वज्ञाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्वज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तस्मात्: from him / therefore (from that one)
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• वृणीमहे: we choose / we ask for
• वृणीमहे: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (वृणोति)
• Form: Present, First, Plural, Atmanepada

Speaker

शक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• tattvajñāḥ (knowers of truth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates Mahādeva as the supreme refuge beyond mere argumentative reasoning (hetuvāda), emphasizing that true liberation—the highest end of Sāṅkhya (discriminative knowledge) and Yoga (disciplined practice)—is attained through truth-knowledge and devoted worship rather than intellectual disputation alone.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śakra (Indra), speaking in praise, identifies Mahādeva as the one revered by realized sages and as the bestower of the highest spiritual end; on that basis, he declares that he (and his side) will seek a boon from Mahādeva.