Shloka 40

धर्मनिन्दा–धर्मोपासनाफलम् तथा साध्वाचारलक्षणम्

Fruits of Disparaging vs. Observing Dharma; Marks of Good Conduct

Devanagari script

सदोपवासी नियत: स्वाध्यायनिरत: शुचि: । बहिष्कान्तरिते नित्यं शयानो5ग्निगृहे सदा

Transliteration

sadopavāsī niyataḥ svādhyāya-nirataḥ śuciḥ | bahiṣkāntarite nityaṁ śayāno ’gni-gṛhe sadā ||

Translation

大自在天说道：“当令其常行斋戒，持守纪律，勤于自诵自学（svādhyāya），并保持清净；当令其恒卧于幽静之处，且常宿于火堂（agni-gṛha，圣火之室）。”此偈称赞克制、洁净与吠陀式自我修养之生活，以苦行的日常作为心志安定与行持正法的根基。

Word by Word

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• उपवासी: one who fasts; a faster
• उपवासी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवासिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नियतः: disciplined; restrained
• नियतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वाध्याय-निरतः: engaged in self-study (of Veda/śāstra)
• स्वाध्याय-निरतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वाध्यायनिरत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शुचिः: pure; clean
• शुचिः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः

• क-अन्तरिते: when separated by (only) a little (interval/space)
• क-अन्तरिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क-अन्तरित
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• नित्यम्: constantly; every day
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• शयानः: lying down; sleeping
• शयानः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: शी (धातु) → शयान (शतृ-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अग्नि-गृहे: in the fire-house; in the sacred fire-room
• अग्नि-गृहे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निगृह
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī-Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Agni-gṛha (fire-sanctuary/agniśālā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The core teaching is disciplined living: regular fasting, regulated conduct, devotion to svādhyāya (sacred study), and maintaining purity—supported by a simple, austere routine centered on the sacred fire.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śiva (Maheśvara) is instructing about an ideal regimen of a dharmic practitioner/ascetic, describing daily practices—fasting, study, purity, and sleeping in the fire-sanctuary—as marks of steady religious observance.