Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 136
Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ
Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony
को हि तत्त्वेन तद् वेद ईशस्य चरितं शुभम् । कृतवान् यानि रूपाणि देवदेव: पुरा किल | क्रीडते च तथा शर्व: प्रसीदति यथा च वै
ko hi tattvena tad veda īśasya caritaṁ śubham | kṛtavān yāni rūpāṇi devadevaḥ purā kila || krīḍate ca tathā śarvaḥ prasīdati yathā ca vai |
婆苏提婆曰：谁能如实尽知主宰之吉祥行迹与幽玄奥秘——那久远往昔，诸神之神摩诃提婆（Mahādeva）曾示现何等形相？又有谁能参透，舍婆（Śarva，即湿婆 Śiva）如何在神圣戏游中嬉戏，又以何种方式而生欢悦？此颂昭示人智之有限，劝人以谦卑与敬信礼拜，勿以妄断自矜。
वासुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches epistemic humility in matters of the divine: the Lord’s manifestations and the ways Śiva delights or is pleased are ultimately beyond complete human grasp. Therefore one should approach the divine with reverence, devotion, and restraint from dogmatic claims.
Vāsudeva reflects on the inscrutability of Śiva’s sacred deeds—His past manifestations, His divine play, and the conditions of His grace—framing the discussion as a reminder that divine conduct cannot be fully measured by ordinary human standards.