Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 147

रुद्र-स्तवराजः (Rudra-Stavarāja) — Exempla of Śiva’s Boons and the Hymn’s Phalaśruti

Devanagari script

देवासुरेश्वरो विश्वो देवासुरमहे श्वरः । सर्वदेवमयो<चिन्त्यो देवतात्मा55त्मसम्भव:

Transliteration

devāsureśvaro viśvo devāsuramaheśvaraḥ | sarvadevamayo 'cintyo devatātmā ātmasambhavaḥ ||

Translation

伐由说道：“祂是天神与阿修罗的主宰，是遍一切处者，是统御诸天与阿修罗的大自在。祂由一切诸神所成，心思难以测度；祂的本质即神圣，并且自生自存（自有者）。”

Word by Word

• देव-असुर-ईश्वरः: lord of gods and asuras
• देव-असुर-ईश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विश्वः: all-pervading; the universe (as a name/epithet)
• विश्वः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• देव-असुर-मह-ईश्वरः: the great lord of gods and asuras
• देव-असुर-मह-ईश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्व-देव-मयः: consisting of all the gods; made of all deities
• सर्व-देव-मयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अचिन्त्यः: inconceivable; unthinkable
• अचिन्त्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचिन्त्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from √चिन्त्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• देवत-आत्मा: whose essence/nature is divine
• देवत-आत्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आत्म-सम्भवः: self-born; arising from himself
• आत्म-सम्भवः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from सम्+√भू)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• Devas
• Asuras
• Īśvara/Maheśvara (the Supreme Lord, unnamed here)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that the Supreme Lord transcends the opposition of devas and asuras, ruling over all and containing the essence of all divine powers, yet remaining ultimately inconceivable; ethically, it encourages humility and devotion to a universal divine sovereignty rather than sectarian allegiance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu (the wind-god) is speaking in praise/description of the supreme divine being, characterizing that Lord as the universal ruler over both gods and asuras, all-pervading, and self-existent.