Shloka 1
कालयुक्तधर्मविवेकः
Discerning Dharma in Accord with Time
ऑपनआक्रात छा अर: चतुश्नत्वारिशर्दाधिकशततमो< ध्याय: बन्धन-मुक्ति
umovāca kiṃśīlaḥ kiṃsamācāraḥ puruṣaḥ kaiś ca karmabhiḥ | svargaṃ samabhipadyeta sampradānena kena vā ||
Umā said: “O Blessed Lord, Sovereign of all beings, revered by devas and asuras! O Mighty One, tell me the true nature of dharma and adharma, so that my doubt concerning them may be dispelled.”
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharma-inquiry: heavenly attainment is linked not merely to ritual but to a person’s character (śīla), daily conduct (samācāra), and ethically qualified actions (karma), with special attention to the role and manner of giving (sampradāna/dāna).
In the Umā–Maheśvara dialogue, Umā questions the divine teacher about the moral qualities, behaviors, and specific deeds—including forms of charity—that lead a human being to attain svarga.