Shloka 20

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

Sanskrit

भृत्यात्मजान् जामयोऽथ दीनान्धपतितानपि ।

यथाशक्त्यान्नदानेन वयांसि पशवस्तथा ॥

Transliteration

bhṛtyātmajān jāmayo 'tha dīnāndhapatitān api /

yathāśaktyānnadānena vayāṃsi paśavas tathā //

Translation

ಮನುಷ್ಯನು ತನ್ನ ಸಾಮರ್ಥ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ತಕ್ಕಂತೆ ಸೇವಕರಿಗೂ ಮಕ್ಕಳಿಗೂ, ವಿವಾಹಸಂಬಂಧದ ಸ್ತ್ರೀ ಬಂಧುಗಳಿಗೂ, ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ದರಿದ್ರರು, ಅಂಧರು ಮತ್ತು ಪತಿತರಿಗೂ ಅನ್ನದಾನ ಮಾಡಬೇಕು; ಅದೇ ರೀತಿಯಾಗಿ ಪಕ್ಷಿ ಮತ್ತು ಪ್ರಾಣಿಗಳಿಗೋ ಆಹಾರ ನೀಡಬೇಕು।

Word by Word

• भृत्य-आत्मजान्: servants' sons
• भृत्य-आत्मजान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भृत्यस्य आत्मजाः)

• जामयः: relatives by marriage (in-laws)
• जामयः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जामि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अथ: and then/also
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थक-निपात (then/also)

• दीन-अन्ध-पतितान्: the poor, the blind, and the fallen
• दीन-अन्ध-पतितान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + पतित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (दीनाश्च अन्धाश्च पतिताश्च)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (also/even)

• यथा-शक्त्या: according to one's ability
• यथा-शक्त्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (शक्त्या) — adverbial: 'according to ability'

• अन्न-दानॆन: by giving food
• अन्न-दानॆन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अन्नस्य दानम्)

• वयांसि: birds
• वयांसि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पशवः: animals
• पशवः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (likewise/so)

Speakers

• Dharma-instruction narrative voice (contextual teacher-speaker within Markandeya Purana’s didactic discourse)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Dāna
• Compassion
• Ahimsā (practical)
• Social welfare

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Gṛhastha-dharma is social and ecological: care extends beyond one’s immediate family to the vulnerable and even non-human life, regulated by ‘yathāśakti’ (realistic capacity).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra-dharma instruction; not directly sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa/vaṃśānucarita.

What is the esoteric significance?

Food (anna) is treated as sacred circulation. Feeding others represents surrender of possessiveness and recognition of shared prāṇa across beings.