दशविधसंस्कारकथनम्The ten saṁskāras
Verse 1
श्रीसदाशिव उवाच । वर्णाश्रमाचारधर्माः कथितास्तव सुव्रते । संस्कारान् सर्ववर्णानां शृणुष्व गदतो मम ॥ १ ॥
śrīsadāśiva uvāca | varṇāśramācāradharmāḥ kathitāstava suvratē | saṁskārān sarvavarṇānāṁ śṛṇuṣva gadatō mama || 1 ||
Translation
Śrī Sadāśiva said: O you of good vows, I have told you the dharma and the conduct of the classes and the stages of life. Now hear from me the saṁskāras, the sacraments, of all the classes.
Word by word
- varṇa
- of the classes
- āśrama
- and the stages of life
- ācāra
- the conduct
- dharmāḥ
- the dharmas
- kathitāḥ
- (kathitāḥ) have been told
- tava
- to you
- suvratē
- O you of good vows
- saṁskārān
- the saṁskāras, the sacraments
- sarva
- of all
- varṇānāṁ
- the classes
- śṛṇuṣva
- hear
- gadataḥ
- (gadataḥ) as I tell them
- mama
- from me
Meaning
The ninth chapter turns from the duties of the classes (varṇa) and stages of life (āśrama), the subject of the eighth, to the saṁskāras: the rites that mark and sanctify a life from conception to marriage. A saṁskāra is literally a "making ready" or "refining": a rite that shapes a person and fits them for the life of dharma. Śiva calls Pārvatī "suvratā", she whose every vow is good. The chapter has three parts: the kuśaṇḍikā, the fire rite that opens every auspicious act (verses 14-84); the ten sacraments themselves, from the rite of the season to the investiture (85-231); and marriage, first in the brāhma form, then in the Śaiva form of the circle (232-284). What the Tantra prescribes here is its own teaching, given as the text presents it; taking up any practice is a matter for one's tradition and teacher.
Commentary
Hariharānanda Bhāratī’s Sanskrit commentary, translated
Oṁ, salutation to Brahman. May my mind ever rest on the lotus feet of the most glorious Lord (Śrīśrīnātha). Having thus told all the dharmas of the conduct of the classes and stages of life, and now wishing to speak of all the saṁskāras of all the classes, Śrī Sadāśiva said, "varṇāśrama…" and the rest. "Gadato mama": from me as I tell them.