Shloka 36

Devanagari script

नित्यं स्थानमुपागम्य दिव्यचन्दनभूषिता: । केन वा कर्मणा देव भवन्ति वनगोचरा:,देव! वनवासी मुनि किस कर्मसे दिव्य स्थानको पाकर दिव्य चन्दनसे विभूषित होते हैं?

Transliteration

nityaṁ sthānam upāgamya divyacandanabhūṣitāḥ | kena vā karmaṇā deva bhavanti vanagocarāḥ ||

Translation

„O Herr, durch welche Tat erlangen die im Wald lebenden Weisen—die in den Wäldern umherziehen—immer wieder eine göttliche Wohnstatt und werden mit himmlischem Sandel geschmückt?“

Word by Word

नित्यम्always

स्थानम्place, abode

उपागम्यhaving approached, having reached

दिव्यचन्दनभूषिताःadorned with divine sandal(-paste)

केनby what? (by which means)

वाor

कर्मणाby (what) deed, by action

देवO god / O lord

भवन्तिthey become / they are

वनगोचराःforest-roamers, those who move in the forest

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śrī Maheśvara (Mahādeva/Śiva)

Deva (the addressed Lord)

vanagocarāḥ (forest-dwelling sages/munis)

divya candana (celestial sandalwood)

divya sthāna (divine abode)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharmic inquiry: spiritual attainments (a divine abode and celestial adornment) arise from specific karma—ethical and disciplined conduct—especially associated with ascetic life and devotion. It emphasizes that exalted results are causally linked to deeds, not mere status.

What is happening in the narrative?

A question is posed to the Lord (addressed as Deva) about the merit behind the visible signs of heavenly reward enjoyed by forest-dwelling sages—how they repeatedly reach a divine realm and are adorned with celestial sandalwood—setting up an explanation of the practices or virtues that lead to such फल (results).