Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

नित्येन ब्रह्मचर्येण लिड्रमस्य यदा स्थितम्‌ । महयत्यस्य लोकक्न प्रियं होतन्महात्मन:

Transliteration

nityena brahmacaryeṇa liṅgam asya yadā sthitam | mahayaty asya lokānāṁ priyaṁ hotaṁ mahātmanāḥ ||

Translation

ਵਾਯੂ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—ਜੋ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਨਿੱਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਚਰਜ ਵਿੱਚ ਦ੍ਰਿੜ੍ਹ ਰਹਿ ਕੇ ਹਰ ਰੋਜ਼ ਇਸ ਸ਼ਿਵਲਿੰਗ ਦੀ ਨਿਯਮਤ ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਉਹ ਮਹਾਤਮਾ ਸ਼ੰਕਰ ਨੂੰ ਅਤਿ ਪ੍ਰਿਯ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ; ਅਤੇ ਇਸ ਨਾਲ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦਾ ਮਾਣ ਤੇ ਕਲਿਆਣ ਵਧਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• नित्येन: daily/regularly (by what is constant)
• नित्येन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• ब्रह्मचर्येण: by celibacy/continence
• ब्रह्मचर्येण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga (Śiva-emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अस्य: of him/of this (person)
• अस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा

• स्थितम्: is established/stands (fixed)
• स्थितम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• महयति: honours/worships
• महयति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: महय्
• Form: Present (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अस्य: of him (i.e., of Śaṅkara)
• अस्य: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• लोकान्: worlds/people
• लोकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रियम्: dear/pleasing (thing)
• प्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• होत्: the invoker/priest (hotṛ)
• होत्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: होतृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled one
• महात्मनः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Śiva-liṅga
• lokāḥ (the worlds/people)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that brahmacarya (disciplined self-restraint) combined with consistent daily worship is especially pleasing to Śiva (Śaṅkara) and produces auspicious, elevating results for the wider world, not merely the practitioner.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu is speaking, praising a specific religious observance: maintaining brahmacarya and performing daily worship of a Śiva-liṅga. He states that such practice becomes dear to Śaṅkara and leads to honor and uplift for the worlds.