Shloka 48

Devanagari script

हस्ते देव पिनाक॑ ते सततं केन तिष्ठति । जटिलो ब्रह्माचारी च किमर्थमसि नित्यदा,देव! आपके हाथमें पिनाक क्‍यों सदा विद्यमान रहता है? आप किसलिये नित्य जटाधारी ब्रह्मचारीके वेशमें रहते हैं?

Transliteration

haste deva pinākaṁ te satataṁ kena tiṣṭhati | jaṭilo brahmacārī ca kimartham asi nityadā deva ||

Translation

“ข้าแต่เทพเจ้า ไฉนคันศรปิณากะจึงสถิตอยู่ในพระหัตถ์ของพระองค์เสมอ? และด้วยเหตุใดพระองค์จึงดำรงอยู่เป็นนิตย์ในอาภรณ์แห่งฤๅษีผู้ไว้ชฎา เป็นพรหมจารีตลอดกาล?”

Word by Word

हस्तेin (your) hand

देवO god

पिनाकःPināka (Shiva's bow)

तेof you / your

सततम्always, continually

केनby what? / how?

तिष्ठतिstands, remains

जटिलःmatted-haired

ब्रह्मचारीcelibate student, brahmacārin

चand

किम्what?

अर्थम्purpose, reason

असिyou are

नित्यदाalways, at all times

देवO god

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śrīmahēśvara (Mahādeva/Śiva)

Deva (the addressed lord)

Pināka (bow)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a dharmic tension held together in the divine ideal: unwavering readiness to protect and uphold order (Pināka ever in hand) alongside constant self-restraint and renunciation (jaṭā and brahmacarya). Power is shown as legitimate only when paired with discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śrīmahēśvara poses a direct inquiry to the addressed deity, asking the reasons behind two defining marks: the perpetual presence of the bow Pināka and the continual ascetic, celibate appearance. The dialogue frames these as purposeful signs rather than mere ornament.