Rudra-Śiva: Names, Two Natures, and the Logic of Epithets (रुद्रनाम-बहुरूपत्व-प्रकरणम्)
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच (एतत्ते कथयिष्यामि यत्ते देवि मन:प्रियम् । शृणु तत् सर्वमखिलं धर्म वर्णाश्रमाश्रितम् ।।
śrīmaheśvara uvāca |
etatte kathayiṣyāmi yatte devi manaḥ-priyam |
śṛṇu tat sarvamakhilaṁ dharmaṁ varṇāśramāśritam ||
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच—एतत्ते कथयिष्यामि यत्ते देवि मनःप्रियम् । शृणु तत्सर्वमखिलं धर्मं वर्णाश्रमाश्रितम् ॥
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
The verse frames dharma as something to be understood comprehensively through the varṇa–āśrama structure, presenting it as an ordered, teachable system rather than a purely personal preference.
Śiva (Maheśvara) addresses Devī and announces that he will now explain, in full, the doctrine of dharma grounded in varṇas and āśramas—serving as a preface to a longer instructional section.