Shloka 4

कालयुक्तधर्मविवेकः

Discerning Dharma in Accord with Time

Devanagari script

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच देवि धर्मार्थतत्त्वज्ञे धर्मनित्ये दमे रते । सर्वप्राणिहित: प्रश्न: श्रूयतां बुद्धिवर्धन:

Transliteration

śrīmaheśvara uvāca

Devi dharmārthatattvajñe dharmanitye dame rate |

sarvaprāṇihitaḥ praśnaḥ śrūyatāṃ buddhivardhanaḥ ||

Translation

ศรีมหีศวรตรัสว่า “โอ เทวี ผู้รู้แก่นแท้แห่งธรรมและอรรถ ผู้ตั้งมั่นในธรรมเป็นนิตย์ และยินดีในความสำรวม (ดมะ) คำถามนี้มีขึ้นเพื่อประโยชน์แก่สรรพชีวิตทั้งปวง และเป็นถ้อยคำที่เพิ่มพูนปัญญา—จงสดับเถิด”

Word by Word

• श्रीमहेश्वरः: the venerable Maheshvara (Śiva)
• श्रीमहेश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीमहेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular

• देवि: O goddess
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• धर्मार्थतत्त्वज्ञे: O knower of the truth of dharma and artha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मार्थतत्त्वज्ञ
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• धर्मनित्ये: O ever-steadfast in dharma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मनित्य
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• दमे: in self-control
• दमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• रते: O one delighting (engaged)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• सर्वप्राणिहितः: beneficial to all beings
• सर्वप्राणिहितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वप्राणिहित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रश्नः: question
• प्रश्नः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रश्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रूयताम्: let it be heard / please listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative, Third, Singular, Atmanepada (passive sense)

• बुद्धिवर्धनः: increasing wisdom
• बुद्धिवर्धनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुद्धिवर्धन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Devī (Pārvatī/Umā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ethical inquiry as universal in scope: a question should be asked and answered with the welfare of all beings in view, grounded in dharma, artha, and disciplined self-control, and aimed at increasing discernment (buddhi).

What is happening in the narrative?

Śiva addresses the Goddess respectfully, praising her insight into dharma and artha and her self-restraint, and then invites her to listen as he introduces an inquiry presented as beneficial to all living beings.