Shloka 8

अहिंसा-प्रधान धर्मविचारः

Ahiṃsā as the Superior Dharma: Practical and Scriptural Reasoning

Devanagari script

“वरदायक प्रभो! देव! सुना है कि पापाचारी प्राणी यमराजके लोकमें गिराये जाते हैं, अतः आपसे प्रसन्न होनेके लिये प्रार्थना करती हूँ, आप मुझपर कृपा कीजिये ।।

Transliteration

etad icchāmy ahaṃ kāmaṃ tvatto lokapitāmaha | iccheyaṃ tvatprasādārthaṃ tapas taptuṃ maheśvara ||

Translation

Nārada said: “O Lord, bestower of boons—O God! I have heard that sinful beings are cast down into Yama’s realm. Therefore, seeking to win Your favor, I pray to You: show me compassion. O Grandfather of the worlds, O Maheśvara, I desire the fulfillment of one wish from You: I wish to go somewhere and undertake austerities so that You may be pleased.”

Word by Word

• एतत्: this (thing)
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इच्छामि: I desire
• इच्छामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (इच्छ्)
• Form: Present, 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• कामम्: a desire / wish
• कामम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• त्वत्तः: from you
• त्वत्तः: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: —, Ablative, Singular

• लोकपितामह: O grandsire of the worlds
• लोकपितामह: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकपितामह
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• इच्छेयम्: I would like / may I desire
• इच्छेयम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (इच्छ्)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• त्वत्: from you
• त्वत्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: —, Ablative, Singular

• प्रसादार्थम्: for (the sake of) favor/grace
• प्रसादार्थम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसादार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तप्तुम्: to perform (austerity)
• तप्तुम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप्
• Form: Tumun (infinitive)

• महेश्वर: O Great Lord
• महेश्वर: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Lokapitāmaha (epithet)
• Yamarāja
• Yama’s realm (Yamaloka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links ethical conduct with post-mortem consequence (wrongdoers fall into Yama’s realm) and presents devotion expressed through tapas as a means to seek divine grace and moral-spiritual clarity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada addresses a supreme lord (called Maheśvara and Lokapitāmaha), expressing concern about the fate of sinful beings and requesting permission/means to undertake austerities in order to obtain the deity’s favor and fulfill a specific wish.