Shloka 4

Adhyaya 29 — Alarka’s Inquiry and Madalasa’s Teaching on Householder Dharma (Gārhasthya), Vaiśvadeva, and Atithi Hospitality

Sanskrit

पितरो मुनयो देवा भूतानि मनुजास्तथा ।

कृमिकीडपतङ्गाश्च वयांसि पशवोऽसुराः ॥

Transliteration

pitaro munayo devā bhūtāni manujās tathā | kṛmikīṭapataṅgāś ca vayāṃsi paśavo 'surāḥ ||

Translation

Les ancêtres, les sages (ṛṣi), les dieux, les êtres et les humains ; vers, insectes et créatures volantes ; oiseaux, animaux et même les asura — tous sont inclus.

Word by Word

• pitaraḥ: the fathers/ancestors
• pitaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitar (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• munayaḥ: sages
• munayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• devāḥ: gods
• devāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• bhūtāni: beings/creatures
• bhūtāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• manujāḥ: humans
• manujāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• tathā: likewise/also
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—समुच्चय/उपपद (indeclinable particle: 'also/likewise')

• kṛmi-kīṭa-pataṅgāḥ: worms, insects, and flying insects
• kṛmi-kīṭa-pataṅgāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛmi (प्रातिपदिक) + kīṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + pataṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• vayāṃsi: birds
• vayāṃsi: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vayas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• paśavaḥ: animals/beasts
• paśavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• asurāḥ: asuras/demons
• asurāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speakers

• Madālasā to Alarka

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Universal dependence
• Householder’s obligations
• Compassion and provision
• Cosmic reciprocity

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Householder duty extends beyond one’s family: it includes obligations to ancestors (śrāddha), gods (yajña), guests and humans (atithi/dāna), and kindness to all creatures.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Dharma instruction embedded in narrative; not a pancalakṣaṇa passage.

What is the esoteric significance?

By listing beings from pitṛs to insects and asuras, the verse hints at a unified field of life sustained by giving—dharma as ecological and metaphysical interconnectedness.