Shloka 13

आचार्य-धर्मलक्षण-श्रद्धाभक्तिप्राधान्यं तथा लिङ्गे ध्यान-पूजाविधानसंकेतः

Adhyaya 10

Devanagari script

अधारणे महत्त्वे च अधर्म इति चोच्यते अत्रेष्टप्रापको धर्म आचार्यैरुपदिश्यते

Transliteration

adhāraṇe mahattve ca adharma iti cocyate atreṣṭaprāpako dharma ācāryairupadiśyate

Translation

ധാരണം ചെയ്യാതെ മഹത്ത്വം അവകാശപ്പെടുന്നതിനെ ‘അധർമ്മം’ എന്നു പറയുന്നു. ഇവിടെ ആചാര്യർ ധർമ്മത്തെ ഇഷ്ടപ്രാപ്തി നൽകുന്നതായി ഉപദേശിക്കുന്നു—പശു (ജീവൻ)യെ ശ്രേയസ്സിലേക്കും, ഒടുവിൽ പതി (ശിവ)യുടെ അനുഗ്രഹപ്രാപ്തിയിലേക്കും നയിക്കുന്നതായി.

Word by Word

• adhāraṇe: in non-upholding/that which does not sustain

• mahattve: in (mere) greatness/pretended importance

• ca: and

• adharmaḥ: adharma, unrighteousness

• iti: thus

• ca: and

• ucyate: is called/declared

• atra: here/in this context

• iṣṭa-prāpakaḥ: that which brings attainment of the desired goal

• dharmaḥ: dharma, righteous duty/order

• ācāryaiḥ: by the teachers/ācāryas

• upadiśyate: is taught/expounded

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating traditional definitions as taught by ācāryas)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames dharma as the force that upholds order and grants the sought fruit; in Linga worship, this means ritual and conduct must be sustaining, humble, and aligned with Śiva (Pati), not merely outwardly “great.”

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

Śiva is implied as the highest aim behind “iṣṭa” (the true desired good): the Pati whose grace is reached through dharma that upholds, rather than adharma that destabilizes.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A principle of Pāśupata discipline is implied: right conduct and sustaining practice (dharma) is the means to attain the intended fruit, whereas showy “greatness” without support is adharma.