Shloka 2

Rules of Purity (Shauca) — Rules of Purity (Śauca), Permissible Foods, and the Duties of the Householder and Forest-Dweller

Devanagari script

दशाङ्गो राक्षसश्रेष्ठ धर्मो ऽसौ सार्ववर्णिकः ब्राह्मणस्यापि विहिता चातुराश्रम्यकल्पना

Transliteration

daśāṅgo rākṣasaśreṣṭha dharmo 'sau sārvavarṇikaḥ brāhmaṇasyāpi vihitā cāturāśramyakalpanā

Translation

Este dharma de diez miembros, oh el mejor de los rākṣasas, es universal para todas las clases (varṇa). También se prescribe la disposición de los cuatro āśramas, incluso para un brāhmaṇa.

Word by Word

• दश-अङ्गः: tenfold/with ten parts
• दश-अङ्गः: Karta (कर्ता/subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (दश अङ्गानि यस्य/दशाङ्गः)

• राक्षस-श्रेष्ठ: O best of rākṣasas
• राक्षस-श्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (राक्षसानां श्रेष्ठः)

• धर्मः: dharma/duty
• धर्मः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• असौ: this/that (aforementioned)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate demonstrative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सार्व-वर्णिकः: applicable to all varṇas
• सार्व-वर्णिकः: Karta (कर्ता/predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सार्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सर्ववर्णानां/सर्ववर्णेषु साधारणः)

• ब्राह्मणस्य: of/for a brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मणस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/for)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: also/even)

• विहिता: prescribed/ordained
• विहिता: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + धा (धातु) → विहित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'कल्पना' इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• चातुराश्रम्य-कल्पना: the arrangement of the four āśramas
• चातुराश्रम्य-कल्पना: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुराश्रम्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कल्पना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चातुराश्रम्यस्य कल्पना)

Speakers

• Ṛṣis to Sukeśi

Key Themes

• Universal Dharma
• Varṇa-Āśrama system
• Normative ethics in Purāṇas

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Ethical fundamentals are presented as universally binding (not sectarian, not class-exclusive), while the āśrama framework is affirmed as a disciplined life-architecture meant to channel those virtues into practice.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

As with many Purāṇas, ancillary dharma material is interwoven into the narrative frame; it functions as instructional dharma-kathā rather than one of the five strict lakṣaṇas, but often accompanies manvantara/vamśa discussions as social order is part of cosmic order.

What is the symbolic significance?

Calling the virtues ‘ten-limbed’ suggests dharma is an integrated body: if any limb is missing (e.g., śauca without satya), the moral organism limps—highlighting the need for balanced cultivation across life-stages.