Shloka 25
Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ
Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्त्वा तु भगवान् गुणांस्तस्य महात्मन: । उपस्पृश्य शुचिर्भूत्वा कथयामास धीमत:
vaiśampāyana uvāca evam uktvā tu bhagavān guṇāṁs tasya mahātmanaḥ | upaspṛśya śucir bhūtvā kathayāmāsa dhīmataḥ ||
قال فَيْشَمْبَايَنَة: لما قال ذلك، شرع الربّ المبارك يصف فضائل ذلك العظيم النفس. وبعد أن أتى بطقس الآچَمَنَة (ācamana) فصار طاهرًا طهارةً شعائرية، بدأ يروي—بحكمةٍ وبصيرة—مناقب الربّ الأعلى شِيفا (Śiva)، مُرسِيًا نبرةً من الإجلال والانضباط لما سيتلو من ثناء.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Before engaging in sacred speech—especially praise of a deity—one should adopt inner and outer discipline. The verse highlights ritual and ethical preparedness (purity, restraint, reverence) as a fitting foundation for truthful and elevating discourse.
In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, after concluding a prior statement, the Blessed Lord performs ācamana to become ritually pure and then begins describing the virtues of the great-souled Śiva, introducing a formal hymn-like section.