Shloka 26

Adhyaya 28 — Alarka Inquires into Varna and Ashrama Dharma; Madalasa Defines the Fourfold Duties

Sanskrit

होमस्त्रिषवणस्नानं जटावल्कलधारणम् । योगाभ्यासः सदा चैव वन्यस्नेहनिषेवणम् ॥

Transliteration

homas triṣavaṇasnāṇaṃ jaṭāvalkaladhāraṇam | yogābhyāsaḥ sadā caiva vanyasnehaniṣevaṇam ||

Translation

وعليه أن يقيم قرابين النار (هوما)، وأن يغتسل عند مفاصل الأوقات الثلاثة في اليوم، وأن يترك شعره مجدولاً (جَطا) ويلبس لباس اللحاء، وأن يداوم على ممارسة اليوغا، وأن يقتات اقتياتاً بسيطاً بما يتيسر في الغابة من دهنٍ وزيت.

Word by Word

• होमः: fire-offering
• होमः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्रिषवणस्नानम्: bathing thrice daily (at the three savanas)
• त्रिषवणस्नानम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि- सवण- स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु-पूर्वपद (tri-) + तत्पुरुषः (‘three times’ + ‘bath at the three savanas’)

• जटावल्कलधारणम्: wearing matted hair and bark-garments
• जटावल्कलधारणम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटा-वल्कल-धारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; जटा + वल्कल (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः) + धारणम् (wearing/holding)

• योगाभ्यासः: practice of yoga
• योगाभ्यासः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग-अभ्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘practice of yoga’)

• सदा: always
• सदा: कालाधिकरण (Temporal setting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb: ‘always’)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (and)

• एव: indeed
• एव: निपातार्थ (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारणार्थक निपात (particle of emphasis: ‘indeed/just’)

• वन्यस्नेहनिषेवणम्: use of forest-available oils/fats (simple unctions)
• वन्यस्नेहनिषेवणम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन्य-स्नेह-निषेवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘use/consumption (niṣevaṇa) of forest (vanya) unction/fat/oil (sneha)’)

Speakers

• Not specified in input (didactic dharma voice)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "tapas", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Vānaprastha
• Homa
• Daily bath (sandhyā discipline)
• Yoga

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse balances outer Vedic discipline (homa, triṣavaṇa purity) with inner discipline (yoga), showing that retreat to the forest is not abandonment of duty but refinement of duty.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Dharma-oriented instruction adjunct to Purāṇic narrative; it is ancillary material rather than the core five-lakṣaṇa categories.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Three baths’ can be read as repeated purification across waking states; yoga-abhyāsa internalizes the ‘fire’ of homa as meditative heat (tapas) that burns impurities.