Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

प्रदाता सर्वलोकानां विश्व चाप्युच्यते महत्‌ । ज्येष्ठभूतं वदन्त्येनं ब्राह्यणा ऋषयो5परे

Transliteration

pradātā sarvalokānāṁ viśva cāpy ucyate mahat | jyeṣṭhabhūtaṁ vadanty enaṁ brāhmaṇā ṛṣayo 'pare ||

Translation

风神伐由说道：“他是诸世界的施恩者，赐予众生所求之物。这广大宇宙本身亦被宣说为他的显现。因此，婆罗门与诸仙人称他为最年长者——为原初者、为万有之首。”

Word by Word

• प्रदाता: giver, bestower
• प्रदाता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदातृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वलोकानाम्: of all worlds / of all people
• सर्वलोकानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वलोक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• विश्वम्: the universe; the all
• विश्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• उच्यते: is said / is called
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Present, Passive, Third, Singular

• महत्: great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ज्येष्ठभूतम्: as the eldest / as the foremost being
• ज्येष्ठभूतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठभूत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वदन्ति: say, declare
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद्
• Form: Present, Active, Third, Plural

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अपरे: others
• अपरे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vayudeva (Vāyu)
• Brāhmaṇas
• Ṛṣis
• Viśva (the universe)
• Sarvaloka (all worlds)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that the supreme principle is both benefactor and cosmic ground: he grants desired ends to beings and is identified with the universe itself; hence sages regard him as the primordial, foremost reality.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu is praising and defining the exalted status of the deity/principle under discussion, citing the testimony of Brāhmaṇas and Ṛṣis that he is the giver to all worlds and the oldest, foundational being.