Shloka 29

Devanagari script

गृहस्थेभ्योडपि निर्मुक्ता गृहस्थानेव संश्रिता: । प्रभवं च प्रतिष्ठां च दान्ता विन्दन्त आसते

Transliteration

gṛhasthebhyo 'pi nirmuktā gṛhasthān eva saṃśritāḥ | prabhavaṃ ca pratiṣṭhāṃ ca dāntā vindanta āsate ||

Translation

Though freed even from dependence on householders, they still take refuge in the householder order itself. Self-controlled (dānta), they attain both their proper source of sustenance and a stable standing in life, and thus remain established in peace.

Word by Word

गृहस्थेभ्यःfrom householders

अपिeven/also

निर्मुक्ताःfreed, released

गृहस्थान्householders

एवindeed/only

संश्रिताःhaving taken refuge in, dependent on

प्रभवम्origin/source

चand

प्रतिष्ठाम्support/standing/establishment

चand

दान्ताःself-controlled, disciplined

विन्दन्तिthey obtain/find

आसतेthey remain/sit

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

gṛhastha (householder order)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical centrality of the householder stage: even those who are personally detached and disciplined may still ‘resort to’ the gṛhastha framework, because it provides a legitimate foundation (prabhava) and stable support (pratiṣṭhā) for sustaining life and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna speaks about the status of disciplined persons in relation to the āśrama system, emphasizing that self-controlled individuals can remain established by relying on the householder order as a stabilizing base, even while being inwardly free from dependence.