Shloka 37

Adhyāya 199: Karma–Jñāna Causality and the Nirguṇa Brahman

Manu’s Instruction

Devanagari script

तस्मै सो5थासन दत्त्वा पाद्यमर्घ्य तथैव च । अबवीद्‌ ब्राह्मणो वाक्‍्यं कृत्वा कुशलसंविदम्‌

Transliteration

tasmai so 'thāsanaṃ dattvā pādyam arghyaṃ tathaiva ca | abravīd brāhmaṇo vākyaṃ kṛtvā kuśala-saṃvidam ||

Translation

Nachdem er ihm einen Sitz angeboten hatte, dazu Wasser zum Waschen der Füße und die übliche Ehrengabe, sprach der Brāhmane—nachdem er zuvor in höflicher Weise nach dem Wohlergehen gefragt und es erwidert hatte. Die Szene betont die dharmische Etikette: Einen Gast ehrt man zuerst, bevor man ein ernstes Gespräch beginnt.

Word by Word

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, dative, singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• आसनम्: a seat
• आसनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• दत्त्वा: having given
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (ददाति)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), active

• पाद्यम्: water for washing the feet
• पाद्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद्य
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• अर्घ्यम्: honorary offering (arghya)
• अर्घ्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्घ्य
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• तथा: thus, likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अबवीत्: said, spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (ब्रवीति)
• Form: imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, singular, active

• ब्राह्मणः: the Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• वाक्यम्: words, a statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• कृत्वा: having made, having done
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (करोति)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), active

• कुशलसंविदम्: a greeting/inquiry of welfare
• कुशलसंविदम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशलसंविद्
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्राह्मण (Brāhmaṇa)
• आसन (seat)
• पाद्य (foot-washing water)
• अर्घ्य (honor-offering)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights atithi-satkāra (honoring a guest) as a practical expression of dharma: offer a seat and customary refreshments/ritual honors, and begin with courteous inquiries about welfare before proceeding to substantive speech.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brāhmaṇa receives someone respectfully by giving a seat and offering pādya and arghya; after exchanging polite well-being greetings (kuśala-saṃvida), he begins to speak.