Shloka 63

Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu

Gṛhastha-Vrata

Devanagari script

पतिव्रता सत्यशीला नित्यं चैवार्जवे रता । कथ्थ॑ न प्रत्युदेत्यद्य स्मपमाना यथा पुरा

Transliteration

pativratā satyaśīlā nityaṃ caivārjave ratā | kathaṃ na pratyudety adya smayamānā yathā purā ||

Translation

Dijo Bhishma: «Mi esposa—firme en la fidelidad conyugal, devota de la verdad y siempre complacida en la rectitud—¿cómo es que hoy no sale a recibirme, sonriendo como antes? ¿Qué deber más pesado que servirme ha caído de pronto sobre ella?»

Word by Word

• पतिव्रता: devoted to her husband
• पतिव्रता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतिव्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सत्यशीला: truthful by nature
• सत्यशीला: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यशील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• आर्जवे: in straightforwardness/uprightness
• आर्जवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्जव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• रता: delighting/engaged (in)
• रता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कथम्: how/why
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• प्रत्युदेति: comes forth to meet (me)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-उद्-इ (धातु)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य

• स्म: indeed/just (particle, often with past sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म

• अपमाना: smiling/with a smile (lit. not honoring?; here used as 'with a smile')
• अपमाना: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• यथा: as/just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• पुरा: formerly/before
• पुरा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Sudarsana
• Sudarsana's wife (unnamed in this verse)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse praises ethical virtues in domestic life—fidelity (pativratā), truthfulness (satya), and straightforward sincerity (ārjava)—presented as marks of exemplary character and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sudarsana, returning and expecting his wife’s customary smiling welcome, is distressed that she does not come out to greet him; he wonders what urgent duty could have kept her away.