Shloka 10
Strī-svabhāva-kathanam: Nārada–Pañcacūḍā-saṃvāda
Discourse on Dispassion via the Nārada–Pañcacūḍā Dialogue
पंचचूडोवाच । मुने शृणु न शक्या स्त्री सती वै निंदितुं स्त्रिया । विदितास्ते स्त्रियो याश्च यादृश्यश्च स्वभावतः
paṃcacūḍovāca | mune śṛṇu na śakyā strī satī vai niṃdituṃ striyā | viditāste striyo yāśca yādṛśyaśca svabhāvataḥ
Pañcacūḍa said: “O sage, listen. A virtuous woman (satī) cannot rightly be censured by another woman. You already know the nature of women—how they are, and how their dispositions arise from their own inborn character.”
Pañcacūḍa
Tattva Level: pashu
Role: teaching
FAQs
The verse emphasizes dharmic restraint in speech: virtue is to be protected, not publicly attacked. From a Shaiva perspective, purity of conduct and words supports inner steadiness (śuddhi) that leads the bound soul (paśu) toward Shiva (Pati).
Linga-worship is grounded in inner and outer purity—truthfulness, non-harm, and reverence. By discouraging blame of the virtuous, the verse aligns conduct with devotion to Saguna Shiva, where honoring dharma becomes a form of worship.
A practical takeaway is vāg-saṃyama (discipline of speech): before japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” observe silence briefly, avoid harsh criticism, and offer the merit of restrained speech as an inner “bhasma-like” purification to Shiva.