Shloka 30

Adhyaya 26 — Madālasa Names Alarka and Reorients Him Toward Kshatriya Duty

Sanskrit

सपुण्यानसपुण्यांश्च क्षुत्क्षामान् तृट्परिप्लुतान् ।

पिण्डोदकप्रदानेन नरः कर्मण्यवस्थितः ॥

Transliteration

sapuṇyān asapuṇyāṃś ca kṣut-kṣāmān tṛṭ-pariplutān / piṇḍodaka-pradānena naraḥ karmaṇy avasthitaḥ //

Translation

«Qu’ils soient méritants ou non, qu’ils soient consumés par la faim ou tourmentés par la soif—en offrant des boulettes de riz (piṇḍa) et de l’eau, l’homme établi dans le dharma les soutient.»

Word by Word

• स-पुण्यान्: the meritorious (with merit)
• स-पुण्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन; उपसर्गसदृश ‘स-’ = ‘with’

• अ-सपुण्यान्: the non-meritorious (without merit)
• अ-सपुण्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सपुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; नञ्-समास/निषेध-पूर्वपद ‘अ-’ = ‘without’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• क्षुत्-क्षामान्: emaciated by hunger
• क्षुत्-क्षामान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुत् (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समास: कर्मधारय (क्षुत्या क्षामाः = emaciated by hunger)

• तृट्-परिप्लुतान्: overwhelmed by thirst
• तृट्-परिप्लुतान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृट् (प्रातिपदिक) + परि + प्लु (धातु) → परिप्लुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (तृष्णया/तृटा परिप्लुताः = overwhelmed by thirst)

• पिण्ड-उदक-प्रदानेन: by the offering of rice-balls and water
• पिण्ड-उदक-प्रदानेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; समास: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (पिण्ड + उदक) + तत्पुरुष (तयोः प्रदानम्)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• कर्मणि: in duty/ritual action
• कर्मणि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• अवस्थितः: is established/engaged
• अवस्थितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थ: ‘standing/remaining engaged’

Speakers

• Jaḍa to Madālasā

Key Themes

• Pitṛ Puja
• Śrāddha efficacy
• Compassionate duty
• Karmic responsibility

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Ritual giving is presented as humanitarian across moral status: one’s duty is to support the departed without judging their merit. Dharma functions as care, not merely reward.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Dharma-upadeśa embedded in narrative (Anucarita).

What is the esoteric significance?

Hunger and thirst signify subtle deprivation in post-mortem states; piṇḍa and udaka become archetypes of ‘form’ and ‘life-fluid’ offered back into the ancestral stream, restoring balance.