Shloka 21

Puruṣaikatva-vyākhyāna: The One Virāṭ Puruṣa and the Many ‘Puruṣas’

Rudra–Brahmā Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मण्यदेवभक्तस्त्वं सुरासुरगुरुहरि:

Transliteration

brahmaṇyadeva-bhaktas tvaṃ surāsura-guru-hariḥ

Translation

毗湿摩说：你敬奉婆罗门之正法，亦虔诚于诸天；你即是诃利，为天与阿修罗共同尊奉之师。

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मण्यदेवभक्तः: a devotee of Brahman and of the gods
• ब्रह्मण्यदेवभक्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मण्य + देव + भक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• सुरासुरगुरुः: the teacher of gods and demons
• सुरासुरगुरुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + असुर + गुरु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Hari (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)
• Devas (Suras)
• Asuras

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ideal leadership and spiritual authority as grounded in brahmaṇya (support of the Vedic-ethical order) and devotion to the divine, presenting Hari as a universal guide whose dharmic influence extends even across opposing cosmic communities (devas and asuras).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva discourse, Bhīṣma addresses and praises Hari (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa), identifying him as devoted to sacred order and as the revered teacher of both gods and demons, thereby affirming his supreme moral and spiritual stature.