Rudra-Śiva: Names, Two Natures, and the Logic of Epithets (रुद्रनाम-बहुरूपत्व-प्रकरणम्)
ऋषिधर्म तु धर्मज्ञ श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यत: परम् । स्पृहा भवति मे नित्यं तपोवननिवासिषु,धर्मज्ञ! अब मैं ऋषिधर्म सुनना चाहती हूँ। तपोवननिवासी मुनियोंके प्रति सदा ही मेरे मनमें स्नेह बना रहता है
ṛṣidharma tu dharmajña śrotum icchāmy ataḥ param | spṛhā bhavati me nityaṃ tapovanani-vāsiṣu ||
ऋषिधर्मं तु धर्मज्ञ श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यतः परम् । स्पृहा भवति मे नित्यं तपोवननिवासिषु ॥
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
The verse foregrounds reverence for ṛṣis and an eagerness to learn their dharma—implying that the sages’ disciplined life in tapovanas is a model of ethical and spiritual conduct worthy of attentive listening.
Maheshvara addresses a ‘knower of dharma’ and requests the next topic: an exposition of ṛṣidharma. He expresses a continual yearning/affection for the forest-dwelling ascetics, setting the stage for teachings about sages’ duties and practices.