Shloka 39

Pratyakṣa–Āgama–Ācāra: Doubt, Proof, and the Practice of Dharma (प्रत्यक्ष–आगम–आचारविचारः)

Devanagari script

मण्डूकयोगशयनो यथान्यायं यथाविधि । दीक्षां चरति धर्मात्मा स नागै: सह मोदते,जो धर्मात्मा पुरुष न्यायानुसार विधिपूर्वक हठयोग-प्रसिद्ध मण्डूकयोगके अनुसार शयन करता और यज्ञकी दीक्षा लेता है, वह नागलोकमें नागोंके साथ सुख भोगता है

Transliteration

maṇḍūkayogaśayano yathānyāyaṃ yathāvidhi | dīkṣāṃ carati dharmātmā sa nāgaiḥ saha modate ||

Translation

ధర్మాత్ముడైన వాడు నియమానుసారం, విధిపూర్వకంగా మణ్డూకయోగ శయనస్థితిని ఆచరించి యజ్ఞదీక్షను స్వీకరిస్తే, అతడు నాగలోకాన్ని చేరి నాగులతో కలిసి ఆనందిస్తాడు.

Word by Word

मण्डूकयोगशयनःone whose lying-down/sleep is in the (so-called) maṇḍūka-yoga posture

यथाas, according to

न्यायम्rule, proper procedure, propriety

यथाas, according to

विधिprescribed rite, injunction, rule

दीक्षाम्consecration, initiation (ritual vow)

चरतिpractises, observes, undertakes

धर्मात्माa righteous-souled man

सःhe

नागैःwith the Nāgas (serpent-beings)

सहtogether with

मोदतेrejoices, enjoys

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śrī-Maheśvara (speaker)

Nāgas

Nāga-loka (realm of the Nāgas)

Maṇḍūka-yoga

Dīkṣā (sacrificial consecration)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That dharmic results arise from disciplined observance: when a person follows prescribed rules (nyāya, vidhi) in bodily restraint (Maṇḍūka-yoga posture) and ritual consecration (dīkṣā), the tradition associates this with a specific meritorious reward—joy in the Nāga realm—illustrating karmic correspondence between methodical practice and its fruit.

What is happening in the narrative?

Maheśvara states a consequence of a particular vow-like regimen: a righteous practitioner who sleeps/abides in the Maṇḍūka-yoga manner and properly undertakes sacrificial dīkṣā is said to attain the Nāga-world and enjoy there with the Nāgas, as part of a broader Anuśāsana-Parva discourse on vows, disciplines, and their rewards.