Shloka 1
पार्वतीने पूछा--भगवन्! मनुष्य किस प्रकारके शील, कैसे सदाचार और किन कर्मोसे युक्त होकर अथवा किस दानके द्वारा स्वर्गमें जाता है
pārvaty uvāca—bhagavan! manuṣyaḥ kīdṛśena śīlena, kathaṃvidhena sadācāreṇa, kaiḥ karmabhiḥ yuktaḥ vā, athavā kasya dānasya prabhāvena svargaṃ gacchati?
Pārvatī asked: “O Blessed Lord, by what kind of character and what manner of right conduct—endowed with which deeds, or through what form of giving—does a human being attain heaven?”
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharma-inquiry: heaven is presented as the fruit of moral character (śīla), disciplined righteous conduct (sadācāra), ethically aligned actions (karma), and meritorious generosity (dāna). It sets up the criteria by which human life is evaluated in terms of virtue and merit.
In a dialogue setting, Pārvatī addresses Maheśvara (Śiva) and asks for guidance on the practical means—virtues, conduct, actions, and forms of charity—by which a person may attain svarga. This question introduces the ensuing instruction on dharma.