Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 94

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

Devanagari script

एतन्मे संशयं देव मुनिधर्मकृतं विभो । सर्वरधर्मार्थतत्त्वज्ञ देवदेव वदस्व मे । निखिलेन मया पृष्टं महादेव यथातथम्‌

Transliteration

etan me saṁśayaṁ deva munidharmakṛtaṁ vibho | sarvadharmārthatattvajña devadeva vadasva me | nikhilena mayā pṛṣṭaṁ mahādeva yathātatham ||

Translation

O Panginoon, ang pag-aalinlangan kong ito ay tungkol sa dharmang isinasagawa ng mga muni. O Laganap sa lahat, O Diyos ng mga diyos, ikaw na nakaaalam ng tunay na diwa at layon ng bawat anyo ng dharma—ipahayag mo sa akin. O Mahadeva, lubos na akong nagtanong; kaya ipaliwanag mo ito nang ganap at ayon sa katotohanan.

Word by Word

• {'etat': 'this', 'me': 'of me / my', 'saṁśayam': 'doubt, uncertainty', 'deva': 'O god, O lord', 'muni-dharma': 'the dharma (rule of life, discipline) of sages/ascetics', 'kṛtam': 'made, formed, arising (here: ‘arisen/occasioned’)', 'vibho': 'O mighty one

• O all-pervading lord', 'sarva': 'all', 'dharma': 'righteous duty

• right conduct', 'artha': 'purpose

• also worldly good', 'tattva-jña': 'knower of the truth/essence', 'devadeva': 'God of gods

• supreme deity', 'vadasva': 'speak, tell (imperative)', 'nikhilena': 'entirely, in full', 'mayā': 'by me', 'pṛṣṭam': 'asked, inquired', 'mahādeva': 'the Great God (Śiva)', 'yathātatham': 'as it truly is

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Devadeva (supreme deity, epithet of Śiva)
• Muni (sages/ascetics, as a class)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames dharma as something with an inner ‘tattva’ (essence) and ‘artha’ (purpose) that must be understood from an authoritative, truth-knowing source. It models ethical inquiry: when confused about right conduct—especially the specialized discipline of sages—one should ask clearly and seek a complete, accurate explanation rather than partial or convenient answers.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker addresses Mahādeva (Śiva) with reverence, stating that a doubt has arisen regarding the dharma of sages (muni-dharma). He appeals to Śiva as the knower of the essence of all dharmas and requests a full, precise response to the questions he has posed.