Shloka 24
Adhyāya 283: Varṇa-vṛtti, Nyāya-ārjana, and the Decline-and-Restoration of Dharma (वर्णवृत्तिः न्यायार्जनं च)
एवं ब्रुवाणां भगवान् स पत्नीं प्रह्ष्टरूप: क्षुभितामुवाच । न वेत्सि मां देवि कृशोदराड्ि कि नाम युक्त वचनं मखेशे,क्षोभमें भरकर इस प्रकार बोलती हुई पत्नीकी बात सुनकर भगवान् शंकर हर्षसे खिल उठे और इस प्रकार बोले--'देवि! कृशोदराज्लि! तू मुझे नहीं जानती, मैं सम्पूर्ण यज्ञोंका ईश्वर हूँ। मेरे विषयमें किस प्रकारके वचन कहना चाहिये, यह भी तुम नहीं जानती
evaṁ bruvāṇāṁ bhagavān sa-patnīṁ prahṛṣṭa-rūpaḥ kṣubhitām uvāca | na vetsi māṁ devi kṛśodarī kiṁ nāma yuktaṁ vacanaṁ makheśe ||
Tatkala isterinya berkata demikian dalam kegelisahan, Tuhan Yang Mulia (Śaṅkara), wajahnya berseri kerana sukacita, berkata kepadanya: “Wahai Dewi, yang berpinggang ramping, engkau belum benar-benar mengenal aku. Akulah Tuhan bagi segala yajña. Dan engkau juga belum memahami kata-kata apakah yang wajar apabila berbicara tentang Tuhan yajña.”
दक्ष उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes that speech about sacred matters must be appropriate (yukta) and grounded in correct understanding. Misjudging divine authority and speaking rashly leads to ethical and ritual disorder; restraint and discernment are part of dharma.
Śaṅkara listens to his wife’s agitated words and responds with calm, even delighted composure, asserting his identity as the Lord of sacrifices and questioning her fitness of speech about him—framing the conflict as one of recognition and propriety.