Shloka 35

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

Devanagari script

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच रहस्यश्रवणं धर्मो वेदव्रतनिषेवणम्‌ । अग्निकार्य तथा धर्मों गुरुकार्यप्रसाधनम्‌

Transliteration

śrīmaheśvara uvāca: rahasyaśravaṇaṃ dharmo vedavrata-niṣevaṇam | agnikāryaṃ tathā dharmo gurukārya-prasādhanam ||

Translation

شری مہیشور نے کہا—دھرم کے راز کا شروَن کرنا، ویدوں کے بتائے ہوئے ورتوں کی پابندی کرنا، اگنی کارْی (ہوم) بجا لانا، اور گُرو کے کاموں کو خدمت کے ساتھ انجام دینا—یہی برہماچریہ آشرم کا دھرم ہے۔

Word by Word

• श्रीमहेश्वरः: Śrī Maheśvara (Lord Śiva)
• श्रीमहेश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीमहेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• रहस्यश्रवणम्: hearing of the secret (teaching)
• रहस्यश्रवणम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रहस्य-श्रवण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मः: is (a) duty / dharma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वेदव्रतनिषेवणम्: practice/observance of Vedic vows
• वेदव्रतनिषेवणम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद-व्रत-निषेवण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अग्निकार्यम्: fire-rite; tending the sacred fire (homa etc.)
• अग्निकार्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि-कार्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: and also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• धर्मः: is (a) duty / dharma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गुरुकार्यप्रसाधनम्: accomplishing the teacher’s tasks (service to the guru)
• गुरुकार्यप्रसाधनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु-कार्य-प्रसाधन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Maheśvara
• Veda
• Agni (sacred fire)
• Guru

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse defines the dharma of the brahmacārin (student): receive instruction through attentive hearing (especially of esoteric teachings), keep Vedic vows, maintain fire-rites, and fulfill service to the guru—linking knowledge, restraint, ritual, and humility as a single ethical discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śrī Maheśvara is instructing the listener about āśrama-dharma, specifically outlining the prescribed conduct for the brahmacarya stage of life, emphasizing learning under a teacher and sustaining practice through vows and ritual duties.