Shloka 44

Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ

Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony

Devanagari script

तत्राहमद्भुतान्‌ भावानपश्यं गिरिसत्तमे । क्षेत्र च तपसां श्रेष्ठ पश्याम्यद्भुतमुत्तमम्‌

Transliteration

tatrāham adbhutān bhāvān apaśyaṁ girisattame | kṣetraṁ ca tapasāṁ śreṣṭhaṁ paśyāmy adbhutam uttamam ||

Translation

そこ、群山のうち最勝の山において、私は驚異のさまざまな境相と徴を見た。そしてその地が、苦行の修習にとって比類なく至高の道場—自制と霊的精進にふさわしい場—であると悟った。

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र
• Form: Avyaya (locative adverb)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Pronoun; gender: —; case: Nominative; number: Singular

• अद्भुतान्: wonderful, marvelous
• अद्भुतान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत
• Form: Masculine; case: Accusative; number: Plural

• भावान्: states, phenomena, experiences
• भावान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव
• Form: Masculine; case: Accusative; number: Plural

• अपश्यम्: I saw
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ); person: 1st; number: Singular; voice: Parasmaipada

• गिरि-सत्तमे: on the best of mountains
• गिरि-सत्तमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरिसत्तम
• Form: Masculine; case: Locative; number: Singular

• क्षेत्रे: in the place/field
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र
• Form: Neuter; case: Locative; number: Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya (conjunction)

• तपसाम्: of austerities
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter; case: Genitive; number: Plural

• श्रेष्ठे: excellent, best
• श्रेष्ठे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Neuter; case: Locative; number: Singular (agreeing with क्षेत्रे)

• पश्यामि: I see
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Present (Laṭ); person: 1st; number: Singular; voice: Parasmaipada

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful
• अद्भुतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत
• Form: Neuter; case: Accusative; number: Singular

• उत्तमम्: supreme, excellent
• उत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: Neuter; case: Accusative; number: Singular (agreeing with अद्भुतम्)

Speaker

वासुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva (speaker)
• giri (a foremost mountain)
• kṣetra (a place/field suited for tapas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights discernment of sacred space: certain places, by their purity and spiritual potency, are especially conducive to tapas (austerity, self-restraint). It implies an ethical-spiritual principle that disciplined practice flourishes where the environment supports inner restraint and higher aims.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāsudeva describes his direct perception at a foremost mountain: he witnesses wondrous phenomena and recognizes the site as an exceptional, supreme kṣetra—particularly suited for ascetic practice and spiritual endeavor.