Shloka 16

कālacakra-वर्णनम् तथा āśrama-धarma-निरूपणम्

The Wheel of Time and the Norms of the Āśramas

Devanagari script

स्वदारनिरतो नित्यं शिष्टाचारो जितेन्द्रिय: । पज्चभिश्न महायज्ञै: श्रद्दधानो यजेदिह,अपनी ही स्त्रीपर प्रेम रखना, सदा सत्पुरुषोंक आचारका पालन करना और जितेन्द्रिय होना गृहस्थके लिये परम आवश्यक है। इस आश्रममें उसे श्रद्धापूर्वक पठचमहायज्ञोंके द्वारा देवता आदिका यजन करना चाहिये

Transliteration

svadāra-nirato nityaṁ śiṣṭācāro jitendriyaḥ | pañcabhir mahāyajñaiḥ śraddadhāno yajed iha ||

Translation

Vāyu said: “A householder should always be devoted to his own lawful wife, follow the conduct of the cultured and righteous, and keep his senses under control. In this stage of life, with faith, he should perform worship and sacred duties through the five great sacrifices, thereby honoring gods and all beings and sustaining the moral order.”

Word by Word

स्वदारनिरतःdevoted to his own wife

नित्यम्always

शिष्टाचारःone who follows the conduct of the cultured (good conduct)

जितेन्द्रियःself-controlled (having conquered the senses)

पञ्चभिःby/with five

महायज्ञैःwith the great sacrifices

श्रद्दधानःhaving faith, faithful

यजेत्should worship/sacrifice

इहhere (in this world/at this stage)

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyu (Vāyudeva)

svadāra (one’s lawful wife)

pañca-mahāyajña (five great sacrifices)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse defines key duties of a householder: fidelity to one’s spouse, adherence to the conduct of the virtuous, mastery over the senses, and faithful performance of the pañca-mahāyajñas—daily obligations that sustain gods, ancestors, beings, humans, and sacred knowledge.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is speaking as a moral instructor, laying down normative guidance for gṛhastha life. Rather than describing an action scene, the passage functions as a dharma-teaching within the Ashvamedhika Parva’s broader post-war ethical and restorative discourse.