Shloka 16
Śiva Grants the Pāśupata Astra (Pāśupata-Śastra Upadeśa) | शिवेन पाशुपतास्त्रदानम्
अथ मेघस्वनो धीमान् व्याजहार शुभां गिरम् यम: परमधर्मज्ञो दक्षिणां दिशमास्थित:,तदनन्तर मेघके समान गम्भीर स्वरवाले परम धर्मज्ञ एवं बुद्धिमान् यमराज दक्षिण दिशामें स्थित हो यह शुभ वचन बोले--
atha meghasvano dhīmān vyājahāra śubhāṃ giram | yamaḥ paramadharmajño dakṣiṇāṃ diśam āsthitaḥ ||
Dann sprach Yama—der Weise, der höchste Kenner des Dharma—mit einer Stimme tief wie das Donnern einer Wolke, im südlichen Viertel stehend, Worte des Heils.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames Yama as the ultimate authority on dharma: when he speaks, the listener is meant to receive guidance or judgment grounded in moral law. His placement in the southern quarter—traditionally associated with Yama—signals ethical seriousness and the inevitability of accountability.
Vaiśampāyana narrates a transition: Yama, described as thunder-voiced and wise, takes his position in the south and begins to speak. The verse functions as an introduction to Yama’s forthcoming statement, preparing the audience for a dharma-centered discourse.