Shloka 4

Adhyaya 89: शौचाचारलक्षणम् — सदाचार, भैक्ष्यचर्या, प्रायश्चित्त, द्रव्यशुद्धि, आशौच-निर्णय

Devanagari script

मानावमानौ द्वावेतौ तावेवाहुर् विषामृते अवमानो ऽमृतं तत्र सन्मानो विषमुच्यते

Transliteration

mānāvamānau dvāvetau tāvevāhur viṣāmṛte avamāno 'mṛtaṃ tatra sanmāno viṣamucyate

Translation

Honneur et déshonneur : ces deux-là sont dits être poison et nectar. En cette affaire, le déshonneur est nectar, tandis qu’être honoré est appelé poison.

Word by Word

• māna: honor, esteem

• avamāna: dishonor, contempt

• dvau: two

• etau: these

• tau eva: those indeed

• āhuḥ: (they) declare/say

• viṣa-amṛte: as poison and nectar

• avamānaḥ: dishonor

• amṛtam: nectar, deathless benefit

• tatra: in that regard/therein

• sanmānaḥ: being well-honored, public acclaim

• viṣam: poison

• ucyate: is called

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shaiva dharma teachings to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It trains the Linga-bhakta to abandon egoic craving for recognition; worship becomes pure when offered to Pati (Shiva) without dependence on social praise.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Shiva-tattva is beyond dualities like honor and dishonor; the aspirant approaches that freedom by treating dishonor as purifying nectar and praise as a potential poison to vairagya.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Pashupata-oriented inner discipline: non-reactivity to praise/blame, ego-thinning (ahaṅkāra-kṣaya), and steady devotion—so the Pashu loosens Pāśa and turns toward Pati.