Shloka 37

Adhyaya 29 — Alarka’s Inquiry and Madalasa’s Teaching on Householder Dharma (Gārhasthya), Vaiśvadeva, and Atithi Hospitality

Sanskrit

अदत्त्वा तु न भोक्तव्यं यथाविभवमात्मनः ।

पूजयित्वातिथीन्निष्टान् ज्ञातीन् बन्धूंस्तथार्थिनः ॥

Transliteration

adattvā tu na bhoktavyaṃ yathāvibhavam ātmanaḥ / pūjayitvātithīn niṣṭān jñātīn bandhūṃs tathārthinaḥ

Translation

Man soll nicht essen, ohne zuvor nach seinen Möglichkeiten gegeben zu haben. Nachdem man die eingetroffenen Gäste geehrt hat, ebenso Verwandte, Angehörige und jene, die (Hilfe) suchen, dann (mag man) essen.

Word by Word

• अदत्त्वा: without giving
• अदत्त्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक-क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘a-dattvā’ = ‘without giving’

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारण-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• भोक्तव्यम्: should be eaten
• भोक्तव्यम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भुज् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; भावे प्रयोगः ‘it is to be eaten’

• यथा: according to
• यथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/रीति-अव्यय (according to/as)

• विभवम्: one’s means/ability
• विभवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (यथा-सम्बद्ध)

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूजयित्वा: having honored
• पूजयित्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘having honored’

• अतिथीन्: guests
• अतिथीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• निष्टान्: proper/desired (guests)
• निष्टान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (अतिथि-विशेषण)

• ज्ञातीन्: kinsmen
• ज्ञातीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• बन्धून्: relatives/friends
• बन्धून्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/रीति-अव्यय (likewise/also)

• अर्थिनः: supplicants/seekers
• अर्थिनः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (अर्थिन्-शब्दस्य प्रायः द्वितीया बहुवचन ‘अर्थिनः’ वैदिक/पुराण-प्रयोग)

Speakers

• Dharma-instruction voice within the Markandeya Purana’s didactic section

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Ethics of eating
• Hospitality
• Charity
• Social responsibility

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Personal consumption is morally conditioned: the householder’s right to enjoy is preceded by duties to guests, family networks, and the vulnerable.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Dharma instruction; not within the five-fold cosmological-historical markers.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Not eating before giving’ is a practice of ego-thinning: it trains the self to become a steward of resources rather than an owner.