Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

शूद्रान्नवर्जनं धर्मस्तथा सत्पथसेवनम्‌ । धर्मो नित्योपवासित्वं॑ ब्रह्मचर्य तथैव च

Transliteration

śūdrānna-varjanaṁ dharmas tathā satpatha-sevanam | dharmo nityopavāsitvaṁ brahmacarya tathaiva ca ||

Translation

శూద్రుని అన్నాన్ని వర్జించడం (బ్రాహ్మణునికి) ధర్మం; సత్పథాన్ని ఆశ్రయించడం కూడా ధర్మమే. నిత్య ఉపవాసవ్రతం మరియు బ్రహ్మచర్యాచరణ కూడా ధర్మమే.

Word by Word

• शूद्रान्न: from śūdra-food / from food of a śūdra
• शूद्रान्न: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र + अन्न
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• वर्जनम्: avoidance, abstaining
• वर्जनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्जन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मः: dharma, duty
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: and likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• सत्पथ: the good path, right path
• सत्पथ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् + पथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सेवनम्: practice, resorting to
• सेवनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेवन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मः: dharma, duty
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नित्य: constant, daily
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• उपवासित्वम्: the state/practice of fasting
• उपवासित्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवासित्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रह्मचर्यम्: celibacy, student-discipline
• ब्रह्मचर्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Maheśvara (Śiva)
• śūdra
• brāhmaṇa (implied by the rule stated)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is presented as disciplined conduct: maintaining prescribed boundaries in accepting food, actively following the righteous path (satpatha), and cultivating self-restraint through regular fasting and brahmacarya.

What is happening in the narrative?

Maheśvara is instructing about dharma by listing concrete observances—social-ritual restraint regarding food and personal austerities—framing them as supports for ethical life and spiritual steadiness.