Shloka 66

Adhyāya 284: Tapas as a Corrective to Household Attachment

Parāśara’s Instruction

Devanagari script

जानुभ्यामवनीं गत्वा दक्षो लब्ध्या भवाद्‌ वरम्‌ | नाम्नामष्टसहस्रेण स्तुतवान्‌ वृषभध्वजम्‌

Transliteration

jānubhyām avanīṃ gatvā dakṣo labdhyā bhavād varam | nāmnām aṣṭasahasreṇa stutavān vṛṣabhadhvajam ||

Translation

Habiendo obtenido un don de Mahādeva, Dakṣa se postró de rodillas en la tierra, se inclinó con reverencia y alabó al Señor del estandarte del Toro (Vṛṣabhadhvaja) con ocho mil nombres sagrados.

Word by Word

• जानुभ्याम्: with (his) two knees
• जानुभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जानु
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Dual

• अवनीम्: the earth/ground
• अवनीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवनी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गत्वा: having gone (to)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• दक्षः: Daksha
• दक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लब्ध्या: by attainment/with the obtaining (of a boon)
• लब्ध्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लब्धि
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• भवात्: from Bhava (Shiva)
• भवात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नाम्नाम्: of names
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• अष्टसहस्रेण: with eight thousand (names)
• अष्टसहस्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टसहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• स्तुतवान्: praised
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु
• Form: क्तवत् (past active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वृषभध्वजम्: the Bull-bannered one (Shiva)
• वृषभध्वजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभध्वज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वीरभद्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vīrabhadra
• Dakṣa
• Bhava (Śiva)
• Vṛṣabhadhvaja (Śiva, ‘Bull-bannered’)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the ethical discipline of humility and gratitude: after receiving a boon, one should respond with reverence and sincere praise, recognizing the source of grace rather than becoming proud.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vīrabhadra describes Dakṣa’s act of submission and devotion: Dakṣa kneels to the ground, offers obeisance, and extols Śiva (Vṛṣabhadhvaja) through an extensive litany of names, marking a moment of acknowledgment after receiving a boon.