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Shloka 15

देवतापितृप्रश्नः — Nārada at Badarīāśrama: the ultimate referent of daiva and pitṛ worship

धर्म नि:श्रेणिमास्थाय किंचित्‌ किंचित्‌ समारुह । कोषकारदवदात्मान वेष्टयन्नानुबुध्यसे

dharma-niḥśreṇim āsthāya kiñcit kiñcit samāruha | koṣakāra-ivad ātmānaṁ veṣṭayannānubudhyase ||

ધર્મરૂપી સીડીનો આશ્રય લઈને પગથિયે પગથિયે ચઢો. પરંતુ તમને ભાન નથી—રેશમના કીડા જેમ પોતાનું કોશ વણે છે તેમ, વાસનાઓ અને આસક્તિઓના જાળથી તમે જાતને જ લપેટતા જાઓ છો।

धर्मdharma, righteousness
धर्म:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
नि:श्रेणिम्ladder, stairway
नि:श्रेणिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनि:श्रेणि
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
आस्थायhaving resorted to / having taken up
आस्थाय:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-स्था
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)
किंचित्a little, somewhat
किंचित्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकिंचित्
किंचित्a little (step by step)
किंचित्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकिंचित्
समारुहclimb up, ascend
समारुह:
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-आ-रुह्
FormImperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada
कोषकारवत्like a cocoon-maker (silkworm)
कोषकारवत्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकोषकार
Formवत् (comparative indeclinable) with noun-stem
आत्मानम्oneself, the self
आत्मानम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
वेष्टयन्wrapping (enveloping)
वेष्टयन्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवेष्ट्
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अनुबुध्यसेyou understand/realize, you become aware
अनुबुध्यसे:
TypeVerb
Rootअनु-बुध्
FormPresent, Second, Singular, Atmanepada

व्यास उवाच

V
Vyāsa
D
dharma
N
niḥśreṇī (ladder)
K
koṣakāra (silkworm/cocoon)

Educational Q&A

Dharma is to be practiced as a gradual ascent—one should progress step by step in discipline and virtue. If one instead follows cravings, one unknowingly entangles oneself, just as a silkworm spins the very cocoon that confines it.

Vyāsa admonishes the listener, urging them to take up dharma as a means of steady elevation. He contrasts this with the listener’s present condition: being absorbed in desires and attachments, they are self-binding and remain unaware of their own entanglement.