Shloka 96
Rudra-Śiva: Names, Two Natures, and the Logic of Epithets (रुद्रनाम-बहुरूपत्व-प्रकरणम्)
श्रीभगवान् शिव बोले--शुभे! तुम्हारे इस प्रश्नसे मुझे बड़ी प्रसन्नता हुई है। अब मैं मुनियोंके सर्वोत्तम धर्मका वर्णन करता हूँ, जिसका पालन करके वे अपनी तपस्याके द्वारा परम सिद्धिको प्राप्त होते हैं ।।
śrīmahēśvara uvāca — śubhe! tava asmin praśne mama mahān prītir utpannā. idānīṁ munīnām uttamaṁ dharmaṁ varṇayiṣyāmi; yasya anuṣṭhānāt te sva-tapasā paramāṁ siddhiṁ prāpnuvanti. phenapānām ṛṣīṇāṁ yo dharmo dharmavidāṁ satām, tan me śṛṇu mahābhāge dharmajñe dharmam āditaḥ.
Sinabi ni Śrī Maheshvara (Śiva): “O mapalad, labis na ikinatuwa ko ang iyong tanong. Ngayon ay ilalarawan ko ang pinakamataas na disiplina ng mga muni; sa pagtalima rito, nakakamtan nila ang sukdulang siddhi sa pamamagitan ng sarili nilang pag-aayuno at pagninilay. Makinig ka sa akin mula sa simula, O marangal na babae, nakaaalam ng dharma: ang dharmang ukol sa mga rishí na ‘umiinom ng bula’ at sa mga banal na tunay na nakauunawa ng katuwiran.”
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical-spiritual lesson: the ‘highest dharma’ of sages is a disciplined way of life whose faithful observance, supported by austerity (tapas), leads to supreme attainment (paramā siddhi). It emphasizes dharma as practiced conduct, not merely theory.
Śiva responds to an interlocutor addressed as ‘śubhe’ and ‘mahābhāge,’ expressing pleasure at her question and announcing that he will now explain, from the beginning, the exemplary dharma followed by rigorous ascetics (including ‘foam-drinking’ seers), setting up a longer instruction on ascetic conduct.