Shloka 55

Dietary Rules & Purification — Dietary Rules, Purification (Śauca), and the Duties of the Householder and Forest-Dweller

Devanagari script

एष दूद्देशतः प्रोक्तो गृस्थाश्रम उत्तमः वानप्रस्थाश्रमं धर्मं प्रवक्ष्यामो ऽवधार्यताम्

Transliteration

eṣa dūddeśataḥ prokto gṛsthāśrama uttamaḥ vānaprasthāśramaṃ dharmaṃ pravakṣyāmo 'vadhāryatām

Translation

Ainsi, brièvement, a été exposée l’excellente discipline de l’āśrama du maître de maison (gṛhastha). À présent, nous enseignerons le dharma de l’āśrama du vānaprastha ; qu’il soit écouté avec attention.

Word by Word

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दूर्-देशतः: briefly / from afar (in outline)
• दूर्-देशतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दूर (प्रातिपदिक) + देश (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; तद्धितान्त अव्यय ‘-तस्’ (ablatival adverb): ‘दूरदेशतः’ = from a distant region / in brief from afar (sense: ‘in outline’)

• प्रोक्तः: has been stated/taught
• प्रोक्तः: Karta-sāmānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘एषः’ इत्यस्य विधेयविशेषणम्

• गृहस्थ-आश्रमः: the householder stage
• गृहस्थ-आश्रमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः): गृहस्थस्य आश्रमः

• उत्तमः: excellent, best
• उत्तमः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘आश्रमः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वानप्रस्थ-आश्रमम्: the forest-dweller stage
• वानप्रस्थ-आश्रमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानप्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: वानप्रस्थस्य आश्रमः

• धर्मम्: duty, dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘प्रवक्ष्यामः’ इत्यस्य कर्म

• प्रवक्ष्यामः: we shall explain
• प्रवक्ष्यामः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future/लृट्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अवधार्यताम्: let it be understood/considered
• अवधार्यताम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-धृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/लोट्), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आज्ञार्थे—‘let it be understood/ascertained’

Speakers

• Narrative layer not specified in input (commonly Pulastya → Nārada in Vāmana Purāṇa); speaker unspecified here

Key Themes

• Āśrama system
• Textual transition marker
• Vānaprastha
• Instruction (upadeśa)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse frames dharma as progressive training: after fulfilling household responsibilities, one is invited toward renunciation-in-stages (vānaprastha), emphasizing mindful listening and deliberate transition.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is an instructional segue (ācāra-dharma) rather than pañcalakṣaṇa narrative (sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita). It functions as a structural marker within didactic material.

What is the symbolic significance?

It symbolizes the Purāṇic ideal of life-as-yajña: duties are not abandoned abruptly but refined—moving from social sacrifice (gṛhastha) to inner/forest discipline (vānaprastha).