Shloka 20
Pratyakṣa–Āgama–Ācāra: Doubt, Proof, and the Practice of Dharma (प्रत्यक्ष–आगम–आचारविचारः)
देवि! यह मैंने तुम्हारे निकट विस्तारयुक्त एवं मंगलमय वानप्रस्थधर्मका स्थूलभावसे वर्णन किया है ।। उमोवाच भगवन् सर्वभूतेश सर्वभूतनमस्कृत । यो धर्मो मुनिसंघस्य सिद्धिवादेषु तं वद
devi! yad ahaṁ tava nikaṭe vistārayuktaṁ ca maṅgalamayaṁ vānaprasthadharmaṁ sthūlabhāvena varṇitaṁ. umovāca: bhagavan sarvabhūteśa sarvabhūtanamaskṛta, yo dharmo munisaṅghasya siddhivādeṣu taṁ vada.
اے دیوی! میں نے تمہارے حضور وانپرستھ-دھرم کو تفصیل اور خیر و برکت کے ساتھ، اجمالی طور پر بیان کر دیا۔ اُما نے کہا—اے بھگون! اے سب بھوتوں کے ایشور، جسے سب بھوت نمسکار کرتے ہیں! مجھے وہ دھرم بتائیے جو رشیوں کی سنگت کے لیے، سِدھی کے مباحث میں بیان ہوا ہے۔
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse marks a transition: Shiva concludes his broad, auspicious exposition of vānaprastha-dharma, and Uma requests a further, more specialized teaching—namely the dharma upheld by sages in discussions of siddhi (spiritual accomplishment). It frames dharma as both ethical discipline (life-stage duties) and a pathway toward higher realization.
In Anuśāsana Parva, a didactic dialogue unfolds between Maheśvara and Umā. Here Shiva signals completion of one topic (the forest-dweller’s code), and Uma respectfully addresses him with epithets (“Lord of all beings”) and asks him to explain the sages’ dharma connected with teachings on attaining siddhi.