Shloka 48

कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः

Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma

Devanagari script

आश्रमेषु वृथाचारा: पानपा गुरुतल्पगा: । इह लौकिकमीहन्ते मांसशोणितवर्धनम्‌

Transliteration

āśrameṣu vṛthācārāḥ pānapā gurutalpāgāḥ | iha laukikam īhante māṃsaśoṇitavardhanam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : «Dans les ermitages, il y aura des hommes à la conduite creuse : buveurs et profanateurs du lit du guru. Ici, ils ne poursuivront que des fins mondaines, cherchant l’accroissement de la chair et du sang.»

Word by Word

• आश्रमेषु: in the hermitages
• आश्रमेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• वृथा-आचाराः: those whose conduct is vain/fruitless (hypocritical)
• वृथा-आचाराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृथा-आचार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पानपाः: drinkers (habitual drinkers)
• पानपाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पानप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• गुरुतल्पगाः: violators of the guru's bed (grave sinners)
• गुरुतल्पगाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरुतल्पग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• इह: here (in this world)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• लौकिकम्: worldly (thing/goal)
• लौकिकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लौकिक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ईहन्ते: they strive for / seek
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईह्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Ātmanepada

• मांस-शोणित-वर्धनम्: increase of flesh and blood (bodily growth/nourishment)
• मांस-शोणित-वर्धनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मांस-शोणित-वर्धन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse condemns pseudo-ascetic life: even within āśramas, some abandon dharma through intoxication and grave sexual transgression, pursuing bodily and worldly gratification rather than restraint and spiritual aims.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes moral corruption found even in hermitages, highlighting that outward religious settings can conceal unethical behavior and worldly appetites.