Shloka 31

Adhyaya 28 — Alarka Inquires into Varna and Ashrama Dharma; Madalasa Defines the Fourfold Duties

Sanskrit

चतुर्थे त्वाश्रमे धर्मो मयायं ते निवेदितः । सामान्यं अन्यवर्णानामाश्रमाणाञ्च मे शृणु ॥

Transliteration

caturthe tv āśrame dharmo mayāyaṃ te niveditaḥ | sāmānyam anyavarṇānām āśramāṇāṃ ca me śṛṇu ||

Translation

Thus, I have explained to you the dharma of the fourth āśrama. Now hear from me the common duties shared by the other varṇas and by the āśramas as well.

Word by Word

• caturthe: in the fourth
• caturthe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/सप्तमी), Ekavacana; ordinal adjective qualifying āśrame

• tu: but; indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, avadhāraṇa/virodha particle (emphasis/contrast)

• āśrame: in the āśrama (stage of life)
• āśrame: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana

• dharmaḥ: duty; dharma
• dharmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (Pronoun/सर्वनाम), Tṛtīyā (Instrumental), Ekavacana

• ayam: this
• ayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/demonstrative to dharmaḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Caturthī vibhakti (Dative/चतुर्थी), Ekavacana

• niveditaḥ: has been declared/presented
• niveditaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√vid (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kṛdanta past passive participle (क्त/PPP); Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with dharmaḥ; passive sense 'has been presented'

• sāmānyam: common (duty); general rule
• sāmānyam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāmānya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā (or Dvitīyā) vibhakti, Ekavacana; here as object/complement 'the general (dharma)'

• anya-varṇānām: of other varṇas
• anya-varṇānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/षष्ठी), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन); Tatpuruṣa: anye varṇāḥ (other castes/classes)

• āśramāṇām: of (other) āśramas
• āśramāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive) or Pañcamī (Ablative) Ekavacana; here genitive 'of me'

• śṛṇu: hear; listen
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (क्रिया/imperative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ lakāra (Imperative/लोट्), Madhyama puruṣa (2nd person/मध्यम), Ekavacana

Speakers

• Not specified in input

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Varṇāśrama framework
• General virtues

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

After specifying stage-specific rules, the text emphasizes universal virtues—suggesting that dharma is both contextual (role-based) and universal (character-based).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ethics and social order instruction; supportive material around the Purāṇic core topics.

What is the esoteric significance?

The move from ‘special duties’ to ‘common duties’ mirrors spiritual maturation: from external prescriptions to stable inner qualities.