Shloka 40

Devanagari script

सदोपवासी नियत: स्वाध्यायनिरत: शुचि: । बहिष्कान्तरिते नित्यं शयानो5ग्निगृहे सदा,सदा उपवास करे अर्थात्‌ एकादशी आदिके दिन उपवास करे और दूसरे दिन भी सदा दो ही समय भोजन करे। बीचमें कुछ न खाय। नियमपूर्वक रहे, वेद-शास्त्रोंके स्वाध्यायमें तत्पर रहे, पवित्र हो प्रतिदिन अग्निशालामें कुशकी चटाईपर शयन करे

Transliteration

sadopavāsī niyataḥ svādhyāya-nirataḥ śuciḥ | bahiṣkāntarite nityaṁ śayāno ’gni-gṛhe sadā ||

Translation

Maheshvara said: “Let him regularly observe fasts, be disciplined, devoted to svadhyaya (sacred self-study), and pure. Let him ever lie down in a secluded place, and always sleep in the fire-sanctuary (agni-griha).” The verse commends a life of restraint, cleanliness, and Vedic self-cultivation, presenting ascetic routine as a foundation for steadiness of mind and dharmic conduct.

Word by Word

सदाalways

उपवासीone who fasts; a faster

नियतःdisciplined; restrained

स्वाध्याय-निरतःengaged in self-study (of Veda/śāstra)

शुचिःpure; clean

बहिःoutside

क-अन्तरितेwhen separated by (only) a little (interval/space)

नित्यम्constantly; every day

शयानःlying down; sleeping

अग्नि-गृहेin the fire-house; in the sacred fire-room

सदाalways

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śrī-Maheśvara (Śiva)

Agni-gṛha (fire-sanctuary/agniśālā)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The core teaching is disciplined living: regular fasting, regulated conduct, devotion to svādhyāya (sacred study), and maintaining purity—supported by a simple, austere routine centered on the sacred fire.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śiva (Maheśvara) is instructing about an ideal regimen of a dharmic practitioner/ascetic, describing daily practices—fasting, study, purity, and sleeping in the fire-sanctuary—as marks of steady religious observance.