Shloka 57

Rudra-Śiva: Names, Two Natures, and the Logic of Epithets (रुद्रनाम-बहुरूपत्व-प्रकरणम्)

Devanagari script

सर्वातिथ्यं त्रिवर्गस्य यथाशक्ति यथा्हत: । व्यापार करनेवाले सदाचारी वैश्यको तिल, चन्दन और रसकी विक्री नहीं करनी चाहिये तथा ब्राह्मण, क्षत्रिय और वैश्य--इस त्रिवर्गकका सब प्रकारसे यथाशक्ति यथायोग्य आतिथ्यसत्कार करना चाहिये ।।

Transliteration

sarvātithyaṁ trivargasya yathāśakti yathārhataḥ | śūdradharmaḥ paro nityaṁ śuśrūṣā ca dvijātiṣu |

Translation

ಶ್ರೀ ಮಹೇಶ್ವರನು ಹೇಳಿದನು— ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣ, ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯ, ವೈಶ್ಯ ಎಂಬ ತ್ರಿವರ್ಗಕ್ಕೆ ಯಥಾಶಕ್ತಿ ಯಥಾಯೋಗ್ಯವಾಗಿ ಎಲ್ಲ ವಿಧದಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ಆತಿಥ್ಯ-ಸತ್ಕಾರ ಮಾಡಬೇಕು. ಶೂದ್ರನ ಪರಮ ಮತ್ತು ನಿತ್ಯ ಧರ್ಮವು ದ್ವಿಜರ ಸೇವೆ ಮತ್ತು ಶುಶ್ರೂಷೆಯೇ. ಸತ್ಯವಂತನಾಗಿ, ಇಂದ್ರಿಯಗಳನ್ನು ಜಯಿಸಿ, ತನ್ನ ಮನೆಗೆ ಬಂದ ಅತಿಥಿಯನ್ನು ಭಕ್ತಿಯಿಂದ ಸೇವಿಸುವ ಶೂದ್ರನು ಮಹತ್ತಾದ ತಪಸ್ಸಿನ ಪುಣ್ಯವನ್ನು ಸಂಚಯಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ; ಅವನಿಗೆ ಸೇವಾರೂಪ ಧರ್ಮವೇ ಕಠಿಣ ತಪಸ್ಸಾಗುತ್ತದೆ।

Word by Word

• सर्वातिथ्यम्: hospitality to all guests
• सर्वातिथ्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वातिथ्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• त्रिवर्गस्य: of the three classes (varṇas)
• त्रिवर्गस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिवर्ग
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• यथा: as, according to
• यथा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• शक्ति: ability, capacity
• शक्ति: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• यथा: as, in the manner
• यथा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• अर्हतः: of one deserving (properly)
• अर्हतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्हत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• शूद्रधर्मः: the duty of a Śūdra
• शूद्रधर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्रधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परः: supreme, highest
• परः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• शुश्रूषा: service, attendance
• शुश्रूषा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• द्विजातिषु: among the twice-born (Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya)
• द्विजातिषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजाति
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Maheśvara (Mahādeva/Śiva)
• brāhmaṇa
• kṣatriya
• vaiśya
• śūdra
• atithi (guest)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that hospitality should be offered appropriately and within one’s means, and that for a Śūdra the foremost, continual dharma is respectful service to the twice-born; truthful, self-controlled service to guests is itself a form of tapas that yields great merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-focused setting, Śrī Maheśvara delivers a normative teaching on social and ethical duties—highlighting proper hospitality toward the three higher varṇas and defining service as the Śūdra’s principal religious discipline.