Shloka 35

Rudra-Śiva: Names, Two Natures, and the Logic of Epithets (रुद्रनाम-बहुरूपत्व-प्रकरणम्)

Devanagari script

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच रहस्यश्रवणं धर्मो वेदव्रतनिषेवणम्‌ । अग्निकार्य तथा धर्मों गुरुकार्यप्रसाधनम्‌,श्रीमहेश्वरने कहा--धर्मका रहस्य सुनना, वेदोक्त व्रतका पालन करना, होम और गुरुसेवा करना--यह ब्रह्मचर्य-आश्रमका धर्म है

Transliteration

śrīmaheśvara uvāca: rahasyaśravaṇaṃ dharmo vedavrata-niṣevaṇam | agnikāryaṃ tathā dharmo gurukārya-prasādhanam ||

Translation

శ్రీమహేశ్వరుడు చెప్పాడు—ధర్మరహస్యాన్ని వినడం, వేదోక్త వ్రతాలను ఆచరించడం, అగ్నికార్యము (హోమం) చేయడం, అలాగే గురుకార్యాన్ని సేవతో సమాప్తి చేయడం—ఇదే బ్రహ్మచర్యాశ్రమ ధర్మం.

Word by Word

श्रीमहेश्वरःŚrī Maheśvara (Lord Śiva)

उवाचsaid

रहस्यश्रवणम्hearing of the secret (teaching)

धर्मःis (a) duty / dharma

वेदव्रतनिषेवणम्practice/observance of Vedic vows

अग्निकार्यम्fire-rite; tending the sacred fire (homa etc.)

तथाand also

धर्मःis (a) duty / dharma

गुरुकार्यप्रसाधनम्accomplishing the teacher’s tasks (service to the guru)

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śrī Maheśvara

Veda

Agni (sacred fire)

Guru

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse defines the dharma of the brahmacārin (student): receive instruction through attentive hearing (especially of esoteric teachings), keep Vedic vows, maintain fire-rites, and fulfill service to the guru—linking knowledge, restraint, ritual, and humility as a single ethical discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śrī Maheśvara is instructing the listener about āśrama-dharma, specifically outlining the prescribed conduct for the brahmacarya stage of life, emphasizing learning under a teacher and sustaining practice through vows and ritual duties.