Shloka 16

Adhyaya 34 — Madālāsā’s Instruction on Sadācāra (Householder Conduct, Purity, and Daily Rites)

Sanskrit

धर्मो धर्मानुबन्धार्थो धर्मो नात्मार्थबाधकः ।

उभाभ्यां च द्विधा कामस्तेन तौ च द्विधा पुनः ॥

Transliteration

dharmo dharmānubandhārtho dharmo nātmārthabādhakaḥ | ubhābhyāṃ ca dvidhā kāmas tena tau ca dvidhā punaḥ ||

Translation

الدارما هي ما يجلب دارما أخرى في إثره؛ والدارما لا تعوق المصلحة الحقيقية للذات. وبالنظر إلى كليهما (الدارما والأرثا) يصير الكاما ذا قسمين؛ ولذلك فإنّ هذين (الدارما والأرثا) يعودان أيضًا ذوي قسمين من حيث علاقتهما بالكاما.

Word by Word

• धर्मः: dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धर्म-अनुबन्ध-अर्थः: having the purpose of dharma’s continuation/connection
• धर्म-अनुबन्ध-अर्थः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + anubandha (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य अनुबन्धः, तस्य अर्थः/प्रयोजनम्)

• धर्मः: dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (पुनरुक्ति-बलार्थ)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध-निपात (negation)

• आत्म-अर्थ-बाधकः: one that obstructs self-interest
• आत्म-अर्थ-बाधकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + bādhaka (प्रातिपदिक; √bādh बाध् + ण्वुल्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (आत्मनः अर्थः = स्वार्थः, तस्य बाधकः)

• उभाभ्याम्: by/with both
• उभाभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन; ‘both (means/with both)’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-निपात

• द्विधा: in two ways
• द्विधा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dvidhā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक

• कामः: kāma (desire/goal)
• कामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तेन: therefore, by that
• तेन: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘therefore/by that’

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (those two)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-निपात

• द्विधा: in two ways
• द्विधा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dvidhā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पुनरावृत्ति/कालवाचक (again)

Speakers

• Didactic voice; conceptual refinement of trivarga

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma rationale
• Self-interest and ethics
• Kāma regulation
• Puruṣārtha theory

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

True dharma is portrayed as self-consistent and welfare-producing: it does not ultimately harm one’s real interest. Desire (kāma) must be interpreted through its compatibility with dharma and artha.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Doctrinal ethics; not pañcalakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

The verse points to a deeper identity between dharma and ‘ātmārtha’: when the self is correctly understood, ethical order and personal good converge.