Shloka 50

Atithi-prāpti and the Brāhmaṇa’s Deliberation on Triadic Dharma (अतिथिप्राप्तिः धर्मत्रयविचारश्च)

Devanagari script

विज्ञातं वो मया कार्य तच्च लोकहितं महत्‌ । प्रवृत्तियुक्त कर्तव्यं युष्मत्प्राणोपबृंहणम्‌,तुम्हारा प्रयोजन क्या है? यह मुझे ज्ञात हो गया है। वह सम्पूर्ण जगत्‌के लिये अत्यन्त हितकर है। तुम्हें प्रवृत्तियुक्त धर्मका पालन करना चाहिये। वह तुम्हारे प्राणोंका पोषक तथा शक्तिका संवर्द्धन करनेवाला होगा

Transliteration

vijñātaṁ vo mayā kāryaṁ tac ca lokahitaṁ mahat | pravṛttiyuktaṁ kartavyaṁ yuṣmatprāṇopabṛṁhaṇam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Ich habe euer Anliegen erkannt, und es ist ein großes Gut zum Wohle der Welt. Darum sollt ihr die Pflicht auf euch nehmen, die mit rechtem Tätigsein verbunden ist; sie wird euren Lebenshauch erhalten und eure Kraft mehren.“

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'vijñātam', 'definition': 'known, understood, ascertained'}, {'term': 'vo', 'definition': 'to/for you (plural)'}, {'term': 'mayā', 'definition': 'by me'}, {'term': 'kāryam', 'definition': 'purpose

• intended task'}, {'term': 'tat', 'definition': 'that'}, {'term': 'ca', 'definition': 'and'}, {'term': 'lokahitam', 'definition': 'beneficial to the world

• for the welfare of people'}, {'term': 'mahat', 'definition': 'great, lofty, significant'}, {'term': 'pravṛtti-yuktam', 'definition': 'endowed with pravṛtti (active engagement)

• oriented toward responsible action'}, {'term': 'kartavyam', 'definition': 'to be done

• a duty/obligation'}, {'term': 'yuṣmat', 'definition': 'your (plural)'}, {'term': 'prāṇa', 'definition': 'life-breath

• vital force'}, {'term': 'upabṛṁhaṇam', 'definition': 'nourishing, sustaining, strengthening

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse affirms that when a purpose is truly lokahita—aimed at the welfare of the world—it should be pursued as kartavya (duty) through pravṛtti (responsible engagement in action). Such dharmic action is presented not as draining, but as sustaining and strengthening one’s prāṇa (vital force).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, as narrator, reports a speaker’s recognition of the listeners’ intention and endorses it as beneficial for all. He then urges them to proceed with the appropriate duty, emphasizing its life-sustaining and empowering effect.