Shloka 28

Adhyaya 28 — Alarka Inquires into Varna and Ashrama Dharma; Madalasa Defines the Fourfold Duties

Sanskrit

चतुर्थस्य स्वरूपं तु श्रूयतामाश्रमस्य मे । यः स्वधर्मोऽस्य धर्मज्ञैः प्रोक्तस्तात ! महात्मभिः ॥

Transliteration

caturthasya svarūpaṃ tu śrūyatām āśramasya me | yaḥ svadharmo 'sya dharmajñaiḥ proktas tāta mahātmabhiḥ ||

Translation

今、私から第四のアーシュラマの本質—その固有の務め—を聞きなさい。これは大いなる心をもつダルマの知者たちが宣言したところである、愛しき者よ。

Word by Word

• चतुर्थस्य: of the fourth
• चतुर्थस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; विशेषण (‘of the fourth’)

• स्वरूपम्: nature/form
• स्वरूपम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: निपातार्थ (Contrast/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विशेष/विरोधार्थक (but/indeed)

• श्रूयताम्: let (it) be heard
• श्रूयताम्: विधेय (Predicate/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive/ātmanepada sense): ‘let it be heard’

• आश्रमस्य: of the āśrama (stage of life)
• आश्रमस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• मे: of me / my
• मे: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (my/of me)

• यः: which
• यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun: ‘which/that’)

• स्वधर्मः: one’s own duty
• स्वधर्मः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘one’s own duty’)

• अस्य: of this (āśrama)
• अस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (of this/of him)

• धर्मज्ञैः: by knowers of dharma
• धर्मज्ञैः: कर्ता (Karta/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘knowers of dharma’)

• प्रोक्तः: declared
• प्रोक्तः: विधेय (Predicate complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वच् (धातु) → उक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘spoken/declared’

• तात: dear one / son
• तात: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; संबोधनपद (address)

• महात्मभिः: by great-souled (sages)
• महात्मभिः: कर्ता (Karta/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘great’ + ‘souls’)

Speakers

• Not specified in input (teacher-to-disciple address implied by ‘tāta’)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Sannyāsa/Bhikṣu
• Svadharma
• Teaching lineage

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Renunciation is not portrayed as whim but as a defined dharma transmitted by authoritative tradition (dharmajña mahātman), implying disciplined entry and accountability.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Didactic dharma passage; an instructional layer typical of Purāṇas alongside cosmology and genealogies.

What is the esoteric significance?

Calling it ‘svarūpa’ hints that the fourth stage is about identity: realizing the self’s essential nature beyond social designation.