Shloka 51

Adhyaya 49 — Primordial Human Creation, the Rise of Desire, and the Origins of Settlements, Measures, and Agriculture

Sanskrit

त एवṃ नगरादीṃस्तु कृत्वा वासार्थमात्मनः ।

निकेतनानि द्वन्द्वानां चक्रुरावसथाय वै ॥

Transliteration

ta evaṃ nagarādīṃs tu kṛtvā vāsārtham ātmanaḥ / niketanāni dvandvānāṃ cakrur āvasathāya vai

Translation

Thus, having established cities and other settlements for their own dwelling, they made homes—shelters against the pairs of opposites (heat and cold, and the like)—for habitation indeed.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुवचन, प्रथमा, पुंलिङ्ग; सर्वनाम

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'thus')

• नगर-आदीन्: cities and the like
• नगर-आदीन्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nagara (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुवचन, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), पुंलिङ्ग; 'cities and the like'

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (contrast/continuation)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): 'having made/done'

• वास-अर्थम्: for residence
• वास-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, द्वितीया, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रयोजनार्थक (purpose accusative): 'for the sake of dwelling'

• आत्मनः: for themselves, of self
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), पुंलिङ्ग

• निकेतनानि: dwellings, abodes
• निकेतनानि: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niketana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुवचन, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• द्वन्द्वानाम्: of groups/pairs
• द्वन्द्वानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvandva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुवचन, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; 'of pairs/groups' (contextual)

• चक्रुः: they made
• चक्रुः: Kriyā (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• आवसथाय: for lodging, for a resting-place
• आवसथाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/dative purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āvasatha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), पुंलिङ्ग; प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदान

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis)

Speakers

• Narratorial description

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Human adaptation
• Material culture
• Dvanda (pairs of opposites)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Civilization is framed as a response to suffering and environmental pressures (dvandva); shelter is a dharmic instrument to sustain life and duty, not merely luxury.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Supports ‘pratisarga’-like cultural reconstitution themes (rebuilding after decline), though presented as social narration rather than a formal cosmological account.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Dvandva’ points to the human condition; constructing ‘niketana’ is an outer analogue of building inner steadiness (sthiti) amid mental opposites.