Shloka 56

Adhyāya 283: Varṇa-vṛtti, Nyāya-ārjana, and the Decline-and-Restoration of Dharma (वर्णवृत्तिः न्यायार्जनं च)

Devanagari script

वीरभद्रवच: श्रुत्वा दक्षो धर्मभृतां वर: । तोषयामास स्तोत्रेण प्रणिपत्य महेश्वरम्‌

Transliteration

vīrabhadravacaḥ śrutvā dakṣo dharmabhṛtāṃ varaḥ | toṣayāmāsa stotreṇa praṇipatya maheśvaram ||

Translation

Nghe lời Vīrabhadra, Dakṣa—bậc đứng đầu trong những người gìn giữ dharma—liền cúi mình trước Maheśvara (Śiva) và tìm cách làm nguôi Ngài bằng một bài thánh tụng tán dương.

Word by Word

• वीरभद्रवचः: of the words/speech of Vīrabhadra
• वीरभद्रवचः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरभद्र-वचस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral), Perfective (prior action)

• दक्षः: Dakṣa
• दक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मभृताम्: of the upholders of dharma
• धर्मभृताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मभृत्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वरः: the best/excellent
• वरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तोषयामास: pleased/satisfied (him)
• तोषयामास: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष्
• Form: लिट् (perfect), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada, ṇic (causative)

• स्तोत्रेण: by (a) hymn
• स्तोत्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तोत्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रणिपत्य: having bowed down
• प्रणिपत्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Perfective (prior action)

• महेश्वरम्: Mahēśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वीरभद्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vīrabhadra
• Dakṣa
• Maheśvara (Śiva)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When one has caused or participated in wrongdoing—especially through pride—restoring dharma begins with humility: acknowledging fault, bowing to the higher principle (here embodied by Śiva), and offering sincere praise and repentance to seek reconciliation.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing Vīrabhadra’s words, Dakṣa changes his stance: he prostrates before Śiva (Maheśvara) and attempts to pacify him by reciting a stotra, signaling a move from conflict and offense toward appeasement and restoration of order.