Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 12
Devanagari script
स्थावरं जज्जमं चैव बहुरूपस्ततः स्मृतः । विश्वे देवाश्व यत्तस्मिन् विश्वरूपस्तत: स्मृत:
Transliteration
sthāvaraṃ jaṅgamaṃ caiva bahurūpastataḥ smṛtaḥ | viśve devāś ca yat tasmin viśvarūpastataḥ smṛtaḥ ||
Translation
伐由说道：“因人们了知那唯一者于过去、现在、未来之中，作为不动与有动诸类，显现无量形相，故忆念其为‘多形者’（Bahurūpa）。又因诸天皆住于其内，故忆念其为‘宇宙之形’（Viśvarūpa）。”
Word by Word
स्थावरम्the immovable (creation)
स्थावरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootस्थावर
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
जङ्गमम्the movable (creation)
जङ्गमम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootजङ्गम
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
बहुरूपःmany-formed
बहुरूपः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootबहुरूप
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
ततःtherefore/from that
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
स्मृतःis called/remembered
स्मृतः:
TypeVerb
Rootस्मृ
Formक्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Passive (participial)
विश्वेall (the) / the Viśve (gods)
विश्वे:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootविश्व
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
देवाःgods
देवाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदेव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
यत्which/that (fact that)
यत्:
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
तस्मिन्in him/in that
तस्मिन्:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular
विश्वरूपःhaving the form of all / universal-formed
विश्वरूपः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootविश्वरूप
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
ततःtherefore/from that
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
स्मृतःis called/remembered
स्मृतः:
TypeVerb
Rootस्मृ
Formक्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Passive (participial)
Speaker
वायुदेव उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
Vāyu (Vāyudeva)A
all gods (viśve devāḥ)I
immovable beings (sthāvara)M
moving beings (jaṅgama)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches divine immanence and universality: the Supreme is present as all forms—both immobile and mobile—and is called Bahurūpa for manifold manifestations and Viśvarūpa because the entire host of gods abides within that Supreme reality.
Vāyudeva is explaining epithets of the Supreme—why the deity is praised as ‘Many-formed’ and ‘Universal-formed’—by pointing to the deity’s manifestation as all beings and as the inner abode of all gods.