Shloka 1

कालयुक्तधर्मविवेकः

Discerning Dharma in Accord with Time

Devanagari script

ऑपनआक्रात छा अर: चतुश्नत्वारिशर्दाधिकशततमो< ध्याय: बन्धन-मुक्ति

Transliteration

umovāca kiṃśīlaḥ kiṃsamācāraḥ puruṣaḥ kaiś ca karmabhiḥ | svargaṃ samabhipadyeta sampradānena kena vā ||

Translation

ଉମା କହିଲେ—“ଭଗବନ୍! ସର୍ବଭୂତେଶ୍ୱର, ଦେବାସୁର-ନମସ୍କୃତ, ବିଭୋ! ମନୁଷ୍ୟଙ୍କ ଧର୍ମ ଓ ଅଧର୍ମର ସ୍ୱରୂପ ମୋତେ କହନ୍ତୁ, ଯାହାଦ୍ୱାରା ମୋର ସନ୍ଦେହ ଦୂର ହେବ। ଆଉ କହନ୍ତୁ—କେମିତି ଶୀଳ ଓ କେମିତି ଆଚରଣରେ, କେଉଁ କର୍ମଦ୍ୱାରା ମନୁଷ୍ୟ ସ୍ୱର୍ଗ ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ କରେ? ଏବଂ କେଉଁ ପ୍ରକାର ଦାନରେ ସେହି ପ୍ରାପ୍ତି ସୁନିଶ୍ଚିତ ହୁଏ?”

Word by Word

• उमा: Umā
• उमा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भगवन्: O Lord
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सर्वभूतेश: O Lord of all beings
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वभूतेश
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• देवासुरनमस्कृत: worshipped by gods and asuras
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देवासुरनमस्कृत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• धर्म: dharma/righteousness
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अधर्मः: adharma/unrighteousness
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नृणाम्: of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• देव: O god
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• ब्रूहि: tell (me)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperative, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Dative, Singular

• संशयम्: doubt
• संशयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विभो: O all-pervading one
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• उमा: Umā
• उमा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• किम्-शीलः: of what nature/character?
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् + शील
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• किम्-समाचारः: of what conduct/practice?
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् + समाचार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुरुषः: a man/person
• पुरुषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कैः: by which?/with what?
• कैः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• कर्मभिः: by deeds/actions
• कर्मभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• स्वर्गम्: heaven
• स्वर्गम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समभिपद्येत: might attain/obtain
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-अभि-पद्
• Form: Optative, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• सम्प्रदानेन: by giving/donation
• सम्प्रदानेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्प्रदान
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• केन: by what?
• केन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Umā

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharma-inquiry: heavenly attainment is linked not merely to ritual but to a person’s character (śīla), daily conduct (samācāra), and ethically qualified actions (karma), with special attention to the role and manner of giving (sampradāna/dāna).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Umā–Maheśvara dialogue, Umā questions the divine teacher about the moral qualities, behaviors, and specific deeds—including forms of charity—that lead a human being to attain svarga.