Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 17

अध्याय १६ — शङ्कर-उमा-वरदानम् तथा तण्डि-स्तुतिः (Śaṅkara–Umā Boon-Granting and Taṇḍi’s Hymn)

Devanagari script

कालाख्य: पुरुषाख्यश्ष ब्रह्माख्यश्न त्वमेव हि । तनवस्ते स्मृतास्तिस््र: पुराणज्ञै: सुर्िभि:

Transliteration

kālākhyaḥ puruṣākhyaś ca brahmākhyaś ca tvam eva hi | tanavas te smṛtās tisraḥ purāṇajñaiḥ surarṣibhiḥ ||

Translation

风神伐由说道：“诚然，唯有你以三名而被称说——时（迦罗，Kāla）、人（补卢沙，Puruṣa）与梵（Brahman）。通晓《往世书》的天界圣仙已宣示：此三者即是你之三种显现。”

Word by Word

• कालाख्यः: called 'Time'
• कालाख्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल-आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुरुषाख्यः: called 'Person/Puruṣa'
• पुरुषाख्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरुष-आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• ब्रह्माख्यः: called 'Brahman'
• ब्रह्माख्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म-आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• हि: for/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• तनवः: forms/bodies
• तनवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• ते: of you/your
• ते: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• स्मृताः: have been remembered/declared
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: Perfect passive participle (past), Plural

• तिस्रः: three
• तिस्रः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• पुराणज्ञैः: by the knowers of the Purāṇas
• पुराणज्ञैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराणज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सुरिभिः: by sages/wise seers
• सुरिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• Kāla
• Puruṣa
• Brahman
• Suraṛṣis (divine seers)
• Purāṇajñas (knowers of the Purāṇas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse identifies a single supreme reality that is understood through three major theological-philosophical designations—Kāla (cosmic Time), Puruṣa (the supreme conscious Person), and Brahman (the absolute). These are presented not as separate gods but as complementary ways of describing one ultimate principle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva addresses the deity being praised and explains, citing Purāṇa-knowing divine seers, that the addressee is traditionally described in three manifestations—Time, Person, and Brahman—thereby elevating the discourse from praise to doctrinal clarification.