Shloka 88

मेनायाः क्रोध-विलापः — Menā’s Lament and Reproach

to the Sage

Devanagari script

सहायास्तादृशा लोके धन्या ह्यसि वदामि किम् । धर्मस्याधारभूतासि कथं धर्मं जहासि हि

Transliteration

sahāyāstādṛśā loke dhanyā hyasi vadāmi kim | dharmasyādhārabhūtāsi kathaṃ dharmaṃ jahāsi hi

Translation

ଏହି ଲୋକରେ ତୁମ ପରି ସହାୟକ ଦୁର୍ଲଭ; ତୁମେ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ଧନ୍ୟ—ମୁଁ ଆଉ କ’ଣ କହିବି? ତୁମେ ଧର୍ମର ଆଧାରସ୍ୱରୂପା; ତେବେ ଧର୍ମକୁ କିପରି ତ୍ୟାଗ କରିବ?

Word by Word

• sahāyāḥ: helpers/companions
• sahāyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• tādṛśāḥ: such (of that kind)
• tādṛśāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tādṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (sahāyāḥ इति)

• loke: in the world
• loke: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• dhanyā: fortunate/blessed
• dhanyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhanya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (त्वम्/असि इति)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• asi: you are
• asi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• vadāmi: I say
• vadāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (वद् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• kim: what
• kim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• dharmasya: of dharma/righteousness
• dharmasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• ādhāra-bhūtā: being the support/foundation
• ādhāra-bhūtā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ādhāra (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (कृदन्त; √bhū (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्तः—क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (आधारः भूता = आधाररूपा)

• asi: you are
• asi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (आधारभूतासि = आधारभूता + असि)

• katham: how
• katham: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• dharmam: dharma/righteousness
• dharmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• jahāsi: you abandon/leave
• jahāsi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √hā (हा धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; रूपम्—जहासि (√hā with reduplication)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

The verse upholds dharma as the stabilizing power that sustains spiritual life; Shiva affirms that one who supports dharma becomes worthy of divine grace, and that abandoning dharma disrupts the path toward Shiva-realization.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Linga/Saguna Shiva worship in the Shiva Purana is not mere ritual—its fruit depends on dharmic conduct. Shiva’s words indicate that devotion must be grounded in righteousness, purity, and faithful observance, which make worship efficacious.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Maintain a dharmic vrata alongside Shiva-upasana—daily japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), and disciplined conduct (truthfulness, restraint, compassion) as the inner support of the outer worship.