Shloka 8

Teaching on Karma-yoga

Discipline of Action as Worship

Devanagari script

कृतोपनयनो वेदानधीयीत द्विजोत्तमः । गर्भाष्टमेऽष्टमेवाब्दे स्वसूत्रोक्तविधानतः

Transliteration

kṛtopanayano vedānadhīyīta dvijottamaḥ | garbhāṣṭame'ṣṭamevābde svasūtroktavidhānataḥ

Translation

Nachdem er das Upanayana (die Weihe mit dem heiligen Faden) empfangen hat, soll der Beste der Dvija die Veden studieren, gemäß den Vorschriften seines eigenen Gṛhya‑sūtra, im achten Jahr seit der Empfängnis — ja, im achten Jahr.

Word by Word

• कृतोपनयनः: having undergone the upanayana rite
• कृतोपनयनः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक) + उपनयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (‘whose upanayana has been done’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying द्विजोत्तमः)

• वेदान्: the Vedas
• वेदान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अधीयीत: should study
• अधीयीत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि + इ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विजोत्तमः: the best of the twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजोत्तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (‘best of the twice-born’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गर्भाष्टमे: in the eighth (year) from conception
• गर्भाष्टमे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/Time)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध: ‘in the eighth [year] from conception’); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; (qualifying अब्दे)

• अष्टमे: in the eighth (year)
• अष्टमे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/Time)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (पुनरुक्त्यर्थे emphasis; qualifying अब्दे)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• अब्दे: in the year
• अब्दे: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वसूत्रोक्तविधानतः: according to the procedure stated in one’s own sūtra
• स्वसूत्रोक्तविधानतः: Hetu/Prakāra (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + सूत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + विधान (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित)
• Form: समासान्त-तद्धित ‘-तस्’ (ablatival adverb: ‘according to’); तत्पुरुष-समास (‘as stated in one’s own sūtra’ + ‘procedure’); अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Unspecified (narratorial/disciplinary instruction within the Svargakhaṇḍa context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: वेदानधीयीत = वेदान् + अधीयीत; गर्भाष्टमेऽष्टमेवाब्दे = गर्भाष्टमे + अष्टमे + एव + अब्दे; स्वसूत्रोक्तविधानतः = स्वसूत्रोक्तविधान + तः (अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः)

FAQs

What practice is this verse prescribing?

It prescribes that after upanayana, a twice-born student should begin Vedic study, following the procedures taught in his own Gṛhya-sūtra tradition.

What does “eighth year from conception” imply?

It counts age from conception (garbha), indicating the traditional dharmaśāstra way of reckoning the proper time for initiation and commencement of study.

What is the ethical or spiritual lesson here?

The verse emphasizes disciplined education and adherence to lineage-based ritual guidelines, presenting learning of the Veda as a structured duty undertaken at the proper time.