Shloka 41

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

Sanskrit

पूजयीत यथाशक्ति शयनासनभोजनैः । एवमुद्धवहतस्तात गार्हस्थ्यं भारमाहितम् ॥

Transliteration

pūjayīta yathāśakti śayanāsanabhojanaiḥ | evam uddavahatas tāta gārhasthyaṃ bhāram āhitam ||

Translation

He should honour the guest according to his capacity with a bed, a seat, and food. Thus, dear son, for one who bears it properly, the state of householdership is a responsibility that has been laid upon him.

Word by Word

• पूजयीत: should honour/worship
• पूजयीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; injunction sense

• यथा-शक्ति: according to (one’s) ability
• यथा-शक्ति: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग: “according to ability”

• शयन-आसन-भोजनैः: with bedding, seating, and food
• शयन-आसन-भोजनैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शयन (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व: “with bed, seat, and food”

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (manner adverb): “thus/in this way”

• उद्-दवहतः: of (him) who bears/carries
• उद्-दवहतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-√वह् (धातु) → दवहत्/वहत् (कृदन्त; शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; present participle: “of (one) bearing/carrying” (context: of the householder who bears)

• तात: O dear one/father
• तात: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; संबोधन

• गार्हस्थ्यम्: householder life
• गार्हस्थ्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गार्हस्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; “householder-state”

• भारम्: burden
• भारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object/predicate with āhitam

• आहितम्: has been laid (upon)
• आहितम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-√धा (धातु) → आहित (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; “placed/laid upon (him)”

Speakers

• Madālasa to her son

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Hospitality
• Gṛhastha-āśrama
• Duty proportional to means

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma is calibrated to capacity (yathāśakti) yet remains obligatory. Household life is praised when its ‘burden’—care for others—is consciously carried.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra/Dharma instruction; not a cosmological/genealogical marker.

What is the esoteric significance?

Seat, bed, and food correspond to stability, rest, and sustenance—symbolic of offering others psychological safety, respite, and life-support, which purifies the giver.