Shloka 45
Arjuna–Gaṇa Saṃvāda: Bāṇādhikāra, Tāpasa-veṣa, and the Ethics of Tapas (अर्जुन-गणसंवादः)
यद्यहं चैव ते बाणं यच्छामि च मदीयकम् । कुलस्य दूषणं चाहं भविष्यामि न संशयः
yadyahaṃ caiva te bāṇaṃ yacchāmi ca madīyakam | kulasya dūṣaṇaṃ cāhaṃ bhaviṣyāmi na saṃśayaḥ
“If I indeed give you my own arrow, then I will surely become a blemish upon my lineage—of this there is no doubt.”
A kshatriya/royal character speaking in the narrative (as recounted by Suta Goswami)
Tattva Level: pashu
FAQs
The verse highlights dharma as inner integrity: one must not betray one’s rightful duty or principles for expediency. In a Shaiva reading, such restraint purifies the ego and prepares the heart for devotion to Pati (Shiva), the supreme guide of dharma.
Though not directly about linga-worship, it reflects the Shaiva ethic that Saguna Shiva upholds cosmic order (dharma). A devotee approaches the Linga with a conscience free from dishonor and deceit, offering actions aligned with truth and duty.
A practical takeaway is self-examination (ātma-vicāra) before worship: take a vow of truthfulness, recite the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and offer bhasma or water to the Shiva Linga with the intention to act without bringing “dūṣaṇa” (stain) upon one’s conduct.