Shloka 23

Adhyaya 29 — Alarka’s Inquiry and Madalasa’s Teaching on Householder Dharma (Gārhasthya), Vaiśvadeva, and Atithi Hospitality

Sanskrit

आप्यायनाय भूतानां कुर्यादुत्सर्गमादरात् ।

श्वभ्यश्च श्वपचेभ्यश्च वयोभ्यश्चावपेद्भुवि ॥

Transliteration

āpyāyanāya bhūtānāṃ kuryād utsargam ādarāt / śvabhyaś ca śvapacebhyaś ca vayobhyaś cāvaped bhuvi

Translation

لأجل تغذية الكائنات الحيّة، ينبغي أن يُقدَّم القربان بعناية عبر تخصيص أنصبة (utsarga). ويُوضَع الطعام على الأرض للكلاب، ولآكلي لحم الكلاب (المنبوذين)، وللطيور أيضًا.

Word by Word

• आप्यायनाय: for nourishment/satiation
• आप्यायनाय: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/अर्थे चतुर्थी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आप्यायन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative/purpose/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• भूतानाम्: of beings
• भूतानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• उत्सर्गम्: a letting-go/distribution (of food)
• उत्सर्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• आदरात्: out of respect/with care
• आदरात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative/हेतु), एकवचन

• श्वभ्यः: to dogs
• श्वभ्यः: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative/सम्प्रदान), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• श्वपचेभ्यः: to dog-cookers/outcastes
• श्वपचेभ्यः: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वपच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative/सम्प्रदान), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (श्वन् + पच = 'dog-cooker', i.e., outcaste)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• वयःभ्यः: to birds
• वयःभ्यः: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative/सम्प्रदान), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अवपेत्: should scatter/sow (food)
• अवपेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-वप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भुवि: on the ground
• भुवि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक: भुव्/भूमि-पर्याय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

Speakers

• Not in Devi Māhātmyam; dharma-teaching context.

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "karuna", "secondaryRasa": "bhakti", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Compassion
• Social ethics
• Bhūta-dayā (kindness to beings)
• Vaiśvadeva

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

A key householder duty is bhūta-dayā—practical compassion. Feeding animals and even socially marginalized persons is treated as part of daily dharma, not an optional charity.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ethical/ritual dharma instruction (ācāra) embedded in the Purāṇa; it complements the Purāṇic aim of shaping right living alongside cosmological narration.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Utsarga’ is a ritualized relinquishment: the ego’s claim over food is loosened daily, converting consumption into offering and aligning the household with non-violence and reciprocity.