Shloka 16
उमाने कहा--भगवन्! सर्वभूतेश्वर! भूत, भविष्य और वर्तमानकालस्वरूप सर्वश्रेष्ठ महादेव! आपके प्रभावसे मेरी यह वाणी प्रतिभासम्पन्न हो रही है--अब मैं स्त्री-धर्मका वर्णन कर सकती हूँ। किंतु देवेश्वर! ये नदियाँ सम्पूर्ण तीर्थोके जलसे सम्पन्न हो आपके स्नान और आचमन आदिके लिये अथवा आपके चरणोंका स्पर्श करनेके लिये यहाँ आपके निकट आ रही हैं। मैं इन सबके साथ सलाह करके क्रमशः स्त्रीधर्मका वर्णन करूँगी। जो व्यक्ति समर्थ होकर भी अहंकारशून्य हो, वही पुरुष कहलाता है ।। स्त्री च भूतेश सततं स्त्रियमेवानुधावति । मया सम्मानिताश्रैव भविष्यन्ति सरिद्वरा:
strī ca bhūteśa satataṃ striyam evānudhāvati | mayā sammānitāś caiva bhaviṣyanti saridvarāḥ ||
Umā said: “O Blessed Lord, sovereign of all beings—O Mahādeva, supreme and embodying past, future, and present—by Your power my speech has become inspired; now I am able to describe the dharma of women. Yet, O Lord of the gods, these excellent rivers, filled with the waters of all sacred fords, are coming near You for Your bathing and sipping rites, or to touch Your feet. After consulting with them, I shall set forth, in due order, the duties of women. A man is truly called ‘man’ only when, though capable, he is free from arrogance.” (Verse) “And, O Lord of beings, a woman continually follows after a woman; and those best of rivers, honored by me, will indeed come to be (well-disposed/auspicious).”
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage frames dharma-teaching as requiring divine inspiration and humility: true strength is paired with freedom from arrogance. It also signals that women’s conduct (strī-dharma) will be explained in an ordered way, in consultation with sacred rivers—linking ethical instruction with purity, tīrtha-tradition, and reverence.
Umā addresses Śiva (Bhūteśa/Mahādeva), saying her speech has become empowered to teach strī-dharma. She pauses because sacred rivers, bearing tīrtha-waters, approach Śiva for ritual purposes (bathing, sipping, touching his feet). She proposes to consult them and then present the teaching sequentially.