Shloka 72

Adhyaya 21 — Householder's Dharma

Sanskrit

देवातापितृभृत्यानामतिथीनाञ्च पूजनम् । न पुंभिः शक्यते कर्तुमृते भार्यां नृपात्मज ॥

Transliteration

devātā-pitṛ-bhṛtyānām atithīnāñ ca pūjanam / na puṃbhiḥ śakyate kartum ṛte bhāryāṃ nṛpātmaja

Translation

ឱ ព្រះអង្គម្ចាស់ បុរសមិនអាចអនុវត្តការបូជា និងការគោរពត្រឹមត្រូវចំពោះទេវតា បុព្វបុរស អ្នកបម្រើ និងភ្ញៀវ បានឡើយ ប្រសិនបើគ្មានប្រពន្ធ។

Word by Word

• देव-आत-पितृ-भृत्यानाम्: of gods, guests(?), ancestors, and servants
• देव-आत-पितृ-भृत्यानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive relation to pūjanam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + āta (प्रातिपदिक) + pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + bhṛtya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (देवाश्च आताश्च पितरश्च भृत्याश्च)

• अतिथीनाम्: of guests
• अतिथीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive relation to pūjanam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atithi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• पूजनम्: worship/adoration
• पूजनम्: Karta (कर्ता/subject of śakyate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (negation)

• पुंभिः: by men
• पुंभिः: Karana (करण/instrument/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pumān (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (instrumental), बहुवचन

• शक्यते: is possible
• शक्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śak (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): ‘is possible’

• कर्तुम्: to do
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive) अव्ययभाव; ‘to do’

• ऋते: without
• ऋते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/without-relation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ṛte (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (without)

• भार्याम्: wife
• भार्याम्: Apadana (अपादान/point of separation with ṛte)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नृप-आत्मज: O prince (king’s son)
• नृप-आत्मज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (नृपस्य आत्मजः)

Speakers

• Kuṇḍala addressing a ‘nṛpātmaja’ (prince)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Devatāḥ (general class of deities)
• Pitaraḥ (ancestors, as recipients of śrāddha)

Key Themes

• Gṛhastha ritual
• Atithi-satkara
• Pitṛ-pūjā / Śrāddha ethos
• Household cooperation

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Hospitality and ritual obligation are communal household acts, not solitary achievements. The verse underscores that dharma is enacted through shared domestic order—care, preparation, and service.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Dharma instruction; not pañcalakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

Deva–pitṛ–atithi honoring symbolizes maintaining right relations with cosmos (devas), lineage/time (pitṛs), and society (guests/servants). The wife signifies the household’s sustaining ‘field’ where these relations are ritually harmonized.