Shloka 22

Pratyakṣa–Āgama–Ācāra: Doubt, Proof, and the Practice of Dharma (प्रत्यक्ष–आगम–आचारविचारः)

Devanagari script

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच स्वैरिणस्तपसा देवि सर्वे दारविहारिण: । तेषां मौण्ड्यं कषायश्न वासे रात्रिश्न कारणम्‌

Transliteration

śrīmaheśvara uvāca—svairiṇas tapasa devi sarve dāravihāriṇaḥ | teṣāṃ mauṇḍyaṃ kaṣāyaś ca vāse rātriś ca kāraṇam ||

Translation

Śrī Maheśvara đáp: “Hỡi Nữ thần, tất cả các ẩn sĩ cư trú rừng sâu ấy đều chuyên tâm khổ hạnh. Trong số họ, có người du hành tự do (không giữ vợ), có người sống cùng chính người vợ của mình. Với kẻ du hành tự do, dấu hiệu là cạo đầu và khoác y ca-sa màu hoàng thổ; còn kẻ sống cùng vợ thì ban đêm ở lại trong đạo thất của mình.”

Word by Word

• श्रीमहेश्वरः: Lord Maheshvara
• श्रीमहेश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीमहेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• स्वैरिणः: those who roam freely (independent ascetics)
• स्वैरिणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वैरिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• देवि: O goddess
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दारविहारिणः: those who dwell/roam in the forest
• दारविहारिणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दारविहारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तेषाम्: of them
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• मौण्ड्यम्: shaving of the head / baldness
• मौण्ड्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौण्ड्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• कषायाश्च: and ochre (garments)
• कषायाश्च: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कषाय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वासः: clothing; garment
• वासः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• कारणम्: cause; reason
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Devī (the Goddess)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse distinguishes two modes of forest-ascetic life: independent wandering without a wife versus a regulated forest life with one’s wife. External signs (shaved head, ochre clothing) and behavioral discipline (where one stays at night) function as markers of one’s chosen ascetic regimen within dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śrī Maheśvara addresses Devī and explains how different forest-dwellers (vānaprasthas/ascetics) conduct themselves—some roam freely and adopt visible renunciant markers, while others remain paired with their wives and keep the discipline of staying in their hermitage at night.