Shloka 60

Adhyaya 16 — The Son’s Counsel on Renunciation and the Anasuya–Mandavya Episode: The Suspension of Sunrise and the Power of Pativrata

Sanskrit

स्त्रियस्त्वेवं समस्तस्य नरैर्दुःखार्जितस्य वै ।

पुण्यस्यार्धापहारिण्यः पतिशुश्रूषयैव हि ॥

Transliteration

striyas tv evaṃ samastasya narair duḥkhārjitasya vai | puṇyasyārdhāpahāriṇyaḥ pati-śuśrūṣayaiva hi ||

Translation

So nehmen Frauen wahrhaftig die Hälfte des Verdienstes auf, den Männer mühsam erwerben—allein durch den Dienst am Ehemann.

Word by Word

• striyaḥ: women
• striyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• tu: but; indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अनुयोग-अव्यय (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘thus/in this way’)

• samastasya: of the entire; whole
• samastasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc/Neut; agreeing with puṇyasya), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; विशेषण

• naraiḥ: by men
• naraiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/agent in passive sense with ārjitasya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• duḥkha-ārjitasya: earned with hardship
• duḥkha-ārjitasya: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of puṇyasya)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक) + ārjita (कृदन्त; √arj)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha: ‘duḥkhena ārjitam’ = earned with hardship), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; कृदन्त: भूतकर्मणि-क्त

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• puṇyasya: of merit; of religious merit
• puṇyasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive: ‘of merit’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• ardha-apahāriṇyaḥ: taking away half (sharers of half)
• ardha-apahāriṇyaḥ: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ardha (प्रातिपदिक) + apahāriṇī (प्रातिपदिक; from apa√hṛ)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha: ‘ardham apaharanti’ = taking away half), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (of striyaḥ)

• pati-śuśrūṣayā: by service to the husband
• pati-śuśrūṣayā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument; by means of)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pati (प्रातिपदिक) + śuśrūṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha: ‘pateḥ śuśrūṣā’ = service to husband), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• eva: alone; indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• hi: for; indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ-अव्यय (causal/explanatory particle)

Speakers

• Instructor voice within the dialogue

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Pativratā
• Puṇya sharing
• Householder ethics
• Gendered dharma norms (textual)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The passage encodes a household economy of merit: spousal unity is framed so that devoted participation (service) grants a share in the spiritual fruits of the partner’s striving.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ethical/social dharma teaching; not a pancalakṣaṇa pillar, but typical Purāṇic reinforcement of āśrama norms.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Half-merit’ symbolizes non-separateness in dharma: when intention and support are aligned, unseen results are portrayed as jointly owned within the gṛhastha unit.