Shloka 44

Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ

Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony

Devanagari script

तत्राहमद्भुतान्‌ भावानपश्यं गिरिसत्तमे । क्षेत्र च तपसां श्रेष्ठ पश्याम्यद्भुतमुत्तमम्‌

Transliteration

tatrāham adbhutān bhāvān apaśyaṁ girisattame | kṣetraṁ ca tapasāṁ śreṣṭhaṁ paśyāmy adbhutam uttamam ||

Translation

Tại đó, trên ngọn núi bậc nhất ấy, ta thấy những trạng thái và điềm lạ kỳ diệu. Và ta nhận ra nơi ấy là một đạo tràng phi thường, tối thượng—thích hợp nhất cho việc tu khổ hạnh—xứng đáng cho tự chế và tinh tấn tâm linh.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र
• Form: Avyaya (locative adverb)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Pronoun; gender: —; case: Nominative; number: Singular

• अद्भुतान्: wonderful, marvelous
• अद्भुतान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत
• Form: Masculine; case: Accusative; number: Plural

• भावान्: states, phenomena, experiences
• भावान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव
• Form: Masculine; case: Accusative; number: Plural

• अपश्यम्: I saw
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ); person: 1st; number: Singular; voice: Parasmaipada

• गिरि-सत्तमे: on the best of mountains
• गिरि-सत्तमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरिसत्तम
• Form: Masculine; case: Locative; number: Singular

• क्षेत्रे: in the place/field
• क्षेत्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र
• Form: Neuter; case: Locative; number: Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya (conjunction)

• तपसाम्: of austerities
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter; case: Genitive; number: Plural

• श्रेष्ठे: excellent, best
• श्रेष्ठे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Neuter; case: Locative; number: Singular (agreeing with क्षेत्रे)

• पश्यामि: I see
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Present (Laṭ); person: 1st; number: Singular; voice: Parasmaipada

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful
• अद्भुतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत
• Form: Neuter; case: Accusative; number: Singular

• उत्तमम्: supreme, excellent
• उत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: Neuter; case: Accusative; number: Singular (agreeing with अद्भुतम्)

Speaker

वासुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva (speaker)
• giri (a foremost mountain)
• kṣetra (a place/field suited for tapas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights discernment of sacred space: certain places, by their purity and spiritual potency, are especially conducive to tapas (austerity, self-restraint). It implies an ethical-spiritual principle that disciplined practice flourishes where the environment supports inner restraint and higher aims.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāsudeva describes his direct perception at a foremost mountain: he witnesses wondrous phenomena and recognizes the site as an exceptional, supreme kṣetra—particularly suited for ascetic practice and spiritual endeavor.