Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ
Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony
इह्ैनं दैवतश्रेष्ठं देवा: सर्षिगणा: पुरा । तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण सत्येन च दमेन च
ihainaṁ daivataśreṣṭhaṁ devāḥ sarṣigaṇāḥ purā | tapasā brahmacaryeṇa satyena ca damena ca ||
Di tempat ini pada masa lampau para dewa bersama para resi memuja dan meraih Keilahian Tertinggi ini melalui tapa, brahmacarya, kebenaran, dan pengendalian diri (dama).
वासुदेव उवाच
The verse teaches that the highest divine goal is approached through ethical and ascetic disciplines—tapas (austerity), brahmacarya (regulated conduct/celibacy), satya (truthfulness), and dama (self-restraint)—rather than through mere status or force.
Vāsudeva recalls an ancient precedent: even the gods, along with assemblies of seers, relied on disciplined practices to honor/attain the supreme divinity, using their example to validate the path of moral restraint and spiritual effort.