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Shloka 37

Adhyaya 53Rudrasarga and the Measure of the Manvantaras: Svayambhuva Manu, Priyavrata’s Line, and the Seven Dvipas

विपर्ययो न तेष्वस्ति जरा मृत्युभयं न च ।

धर्माधर्मौ न तेष्वास्तां नोत्तमाधममध्यमाः ॥

viparyayo na teṣv asti jarā-mṛtyu-bhayaṃ na ca /

dharmādharmau na teṣv āstāṃ nottamādhamamadhyamāḥ

لا يوجد بينهم تراجعٌ أو انحطاط؛ فلا شيخوخة ولا خوف من الموت. وليس لهم دَرْمَا ولا أَدَرْمَا، ولا مراتبَ من أعلى أو أدنى أو أوسط.

विपर्ययःreversal/disorder
विपर्ययः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootविपर्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
not
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)
तेषुamong them/in them
तेषु:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन
अस्तिexists/is
अस्ति:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
जराold age
जरा:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootजरा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
मृत्युभयम्fear of death
मृत्युभयम्:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्यु + भय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मृत्योः भयम्)
not
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय
धर्माधर्मौdharma and adharma
धर्माधर्मौ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म + अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (धर्मश्च अधर्मश्च)
not
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय
तेषुamong them/in them
तेषु:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन
आस्ताम्(they) are/let be
आस्ताम्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootआस् (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद; निषेधेन सह ‘let them not be/they are not’ (idiomatic)
not
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय
उत्तमाधममध्यमाःthe best, the worst, and the middling (classes)
उत्तमाधममध्यमाः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootउत्तम + अधम + मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (उत्तमाश्च अधमाश्च मध्यमाश्च)
Narrative voice (frame-speaker not explicit in the excerpt)
CosmologyUtopian realmsTranscending moral dualities (contextual, not normative ethics)

FAQs

The verse distinguishes between karma-governed realms (where dharma/adharma operate) and perfected/pleasure realms where such dualities are not salient; it does not cancel ethics for humans but situates ethics within mortality and consequence.

‘Sthāna’—describing the conditions of beings in different cosmic regions.

Absence of ‘dharma/adharma’ and social ranking can symbolize a non-dual state beyond comparative identity; old age and death represent time-bound egoic limitation, here portrayed as transcended.