Shloka 25

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

Devanagari script

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच अहिंसा सत्यवचनं सर्वभूतानुकम्पनम्‌ । शमो दानं यथाशक्ति गार्हस्थ्यो धर्म उत्तम:

Transliteration

śrīmaheśvara uvāca: ahiṃsā satyavacanaṃ sarvabhūtānukampanam | śamo dānaṃ yathāśakti gārhasthyo dharma uttamaḥ ||

Translation

Śrī Maheśvara phán: “Hỡi Devī, dharma tối thượng của người sống đời gia chủ là: không bạo hại bất kỳ sinh linh nào, nói lời chân thật, thương xót mọi loài, tự chế (làm lắng tâm và điều phục các căn), và bố thí tùy theo khả năng.”

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 (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अहिंसा: non-violence
• अहिंसा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहिंसा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सत्यवचनम्: truthful speech
• सत्यवचनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यवचन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वभूतानुकम्पनम्: compassion toward all beings
• सर्वभूतानुकम्पनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वभूतानुकम्पन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• शमः: tranquility/self-control (of mind)
• शमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दानम्: giving/charity
• दानम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• यथाशक्ति: according to one's ability
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा-शक्ति

• गार्हस्थ्यः: pertaining to the householder (gṛhastha)
• गार्हस्थ्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गार्हस्थ्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मः: dharma/duty
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उत्तमः: best/supreme
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Devī

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse defines the supreme dharma of a householder as a fivefold ethical discipline: non-violence, truthfulness, compassion to all beings, self-restraint, and charity proportionate to one’s means.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva’s instructional setting, Śrī Maheśvara addresses Devī and enumerates the principal virtues that constitute ideal conduct for the gārhasthya (householder) stage of life.