Shloka 17

कālacakra-वर्णनम् तथा āśrama-धarma-निरूपणम्

The Wheel of Time and the Norms of the Āśramas

Devanagari script

देवतातिथिशिष्टाशी निरतो वेदकर्मसु । इज्याप्रदानयुक्तश्चन यथाशक्ति यथासुखम्‌

Transliteration

devatātithiśiṣṭāśī nirato vedakarmasu | ijyāpradānayuktaś ca yathāśakti yathāsukham ||

Translation

Dijo Vāyu: «El cabeza de familia debe comer sólo lo que quede después de haber alimentado primero a los dioses (mediante ofrendas) y al huésped. Debe permanecer dedicado a los deberes prescritos por el Veda y, según su capacidad y con ánimo satisfecho, realizar culto y sacrificio, y también dar dones en caridad».

Word by Word

• देवत: the deities (as recipients)
• देवत: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवत् (देवता-शब्दस्य प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• अतिथि: guests
• अतिथि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शिष्ट: left over, remaining
• शिष्ट: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिष्ट (√शास् → शिष्ट, क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आशी: one who eats (i.e., he should eat)
• आशी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशिन् (√अश् + इन्; ‘eater’)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निरतः: engaged, devoted
• निरतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरत (√रम् + क्त; ‘engaged’)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वेदकर्मसु: in Vedic rites/acts
• वेदकर्मसु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदकर्मन् (वेद + कर्मन्)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• इज्या: with sacrifice/worship
• इज्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इज्या (√यज्; ‘worship/sacrifice’)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रदान: with giving (donation)
• प्रदान: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदान (√दा + ल्युट्; ‘giving’)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• युक्तः: endowed/engaged (with)
• युक्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त (√युज् + क्त; ‘endowed/engaged’)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• यथा: according as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• शक्ति: ability, capacity
• शक्ति: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• यथा: as, in the manner that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• सुखम्: comfort, ease (happily)
• सुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• devatā (gods)
• atithi (guest)
• gṛhastha (householder, implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches the ethical discipline of the householder: prioritize offerings and hospitality (gods and guests) before personal consumption, remain steady in Vedic obligations, and practice worship and charity within one’s means and with a peaceful, contented attitude.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu (the Wind-god) is instructing on proper conduct, specifically outlining the daily dharma of a gṛhastha—how one should eat, perform Vedic rites, and balance sacrifice and giving according to capacity.