Shloka 21
Pratyakṣa–Āgama–Ācāra: Doubt, Proof, and the Practice of Dharma (प्रत्यक्ष–आगम–आचारविचारः)
उमादेवी बोलीं--भगवन्! सर्वभूतेश्वर! समस्त प्राणियोंद्वारा वन्दित महेश्वर! ज्ञानगोष्ठियोंमें मुनि-समुदायका जो धर्म निश्चित किया गया है, उसे बताइये ।। सिद्धिवादेषु संसिद्धास्तथा वननिवासिन: । स्वैरिणो दारसंयुक्तास्तेषां धर्म: कथं स्मृत:,ज्ञानगोष्ठियोंमें जो सम्यक् सिद्ध बताये गये हैं, वे वनवासी मुनि कोई तो एकाकी ही स्वच्छन्द विचरते हैं, कोई पत्नीके साथ रहते हैं। उनका धर्म कैसा माना गया है?
umādevī uvāca—bhagavan sarvabhūteśvara samasta-prāṇibhir vandita maheśvara jñāna-goṣṭhīṣu munisamūhena yo dharmaḥ niścitaḥ sa me brūhi. siddhivādeṣu saṃsiddhās tathā vana-nivāsinaḥ; svairiṇo dāra-saṃyuktās teṣāṃ dharmaḥ kathaṃ smṛtaḥ?
Umā Devī said: “O Blessed Lord, O Sovereign of all beings, O Maheśvara revered by all creatures—tell me the rule of dharma that the assemblies of sages have determined in their discussions on spiritual knowledge. For among those declared fully accomplished in the doctrines concerning attainment, and among the forest-dwelling ascetics, some wander freely alone while others live together with a wife. How is the dharma of such persons understood?”
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharma-question about legitimate modes of ascetic life: whether perfected forest-dwellers who roam alone and those who live with a wife can both be considered righteous, and by what standard their conduct is judged in learned tradition.
Umā (Pārvatī) addresses Maheśvara (Śiva) and asks him to explain the dharma established by sages in knowledge-assemblies, specifically concerning accomplished ascetics—some solitary wanderers and some living in the forest with spouses.