Shloka 20

The Churning of the Ocean

Milk Ocean Episode: Kālakūṭa, Hari-nāma, and Alakṣmī/Jyeṣṭhā

Devanagari script

दंपत्योः कलहो यत्र पितृदेवार्चनं न वै । दुरोदररता यत्र तत्र तिष्ठ सदाशुभे

Transliteration

daṃpatyoḥ kalaho yatra pitṛdevārcanaṃ na vai | durodararatā yatra tatra tiṣṭha sadāśubhe

Translation

Wo Gatte und Gattin ständig im Streit sind, wo weder Ahnen noch Götter verehrt werden und wo man dem Glücksspiel ergeben ist—dort, o stets Unheilvolle, sollst du wohnen.

Word by Word

• दम्पत्योः: of the couple
• दम्पत्योः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम्पती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), द्विवचन (Dual), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); 'of the couple (husband and wife)'

• कलहः: quarrel
• कलहः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय/देशवाचक (relative adverb of place: 'where')

• पितृदेव-अर्चनम्: worship of ancestors and gods
• पितृदेव-अर्चनम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject) (with negation 'na')
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nominative/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Genitive determinative): 'pitr̥-devānām arcanam' = worship of ancestors and gods

• न: not
• न: None (अकारक/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• वै: indeed
• वै: None (अकारक/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारण/खलु-अर्थ (emphatic: indeed/for sure)

• दुरोदर-रता: addicted to gambling
• दुरोदर-रता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject) (elliptical: 'she/it is')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुरोदर (प्रातिपदिक) + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-भाव: 'dūrodare ratā' = addicted to gambling

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय/देशवाचक (relative adverb: where)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), देशवाचक (correlative adverb: there)

• तिष्ठ: stay / abide
• तिष्ठ: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb) (addressed command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• सदा: always
• सदा: None (अकारक/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: always)

• अशुभे: O inauspicious one
• अशुभे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); addressed to a female entity (e.g., inauspiciousness/personified misfortune)

Speaker

Unspecified (context suggests a didactic instruction addressing an inauspicious/evil presence, e.g., Alakṣmī or a personified misfortune)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: पितृदेवार्चनम् = पितृदेव + अर्चनम्; दुरोदररता = दुरोदर + रता; सदाशुभे = सदा + अशुभे (no phonetic change, written together).

FAQs

What behavior does this verse associate with inauspiciousness in the household?

It links inauspiciousness with constant spousal quarrels, neglect of worship for ancestors and gods, and addiction to gambling.

What is the ethical lesson conveyed by this shloka?

A dharmic home is marked by harmony, reverence (pitṛ- and deva-arcana), and restraint from destructive habits like gambling; their absence invites misfortune.

Does this verse support a Bhakti-oriented practice?

Yes, indirectly: it stresses regular deva-arcana (worship of the divine) as a stabilizing, auspicious practice within household life.