Shloka 63

Dietary Rules & Purification — Dietary Rules, Purification (Śauca), and the Duties of the Householder and Forest-Dweller

Devanagari script

वैखानसत्वं गार्हस्थ्यमाश्रमद्वितयं विशः गार्हस्थ्ययमुत्तमं त्वेकं शूद्रस्य क्षणदाचर

Transliteration

vaikhānasatvaṃ gārhasthyamāśramadvitayaṃ viśaḥ gārhasthyayamuttamaṃ tvekaṃ śūdrasya kṣaṇadācara

Translation

ವೈಶ್ಯನಿಗೆ ಎರಡು ಆಶ್ರಮಗಳು—ವೈಖಾನಸ ಜೀವನ ಮತ್ತು ಗೃಹಸ್ಥಾಶ್ರಮ. ಆದರೆ ಶೂದ್ರನಿಗೆ ಒಂದೇ, ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠವಾದ ಗೃಹಸ್ಥಾಶ್ರಮ, ಹೇ ಕ್ಷಣದಾಚರ।

Word by Word

• वैखानसत्वम्: the state of being a Vaikhānasa
• वैखानसत्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैखानस + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; त्व-प्रत्यय (भाववाचक: 'state/condition')

• गार्हस्थ्यम्: householder stage
• गार्हस्थ्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गार्हस्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• आश्रमद्वितयम्: a pair of āśramas (two stages)
• आश्रमद्वितयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम + द्वितय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (आश्रमाणां द्वितयम् = two āśramas)

• विशः: of the vaiśya
• विशः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (विट्/वैश्य-समूहवाचक); अर्थतः 'वैश्यस्य'

• गार्हस्थ्यम्: householder stage
• गार्हस्थ्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गार्हस्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• उत्तमम्: best; excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (गार्हस्थ्यम् इति)

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: 'but/indeed')

• एकम्: one (only)
• एकम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण

• शूद्रस्य: of the śūdra
• शूद्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• क्षणदाचर: O night-roamer
• क्षणदाचर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षणद + आचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (क्षणदायां चरति इति = 'night-roamer')

Speakers

• Not stated in the provided excerpt (commonly Pulastya → Nārada framework in Vāmana Purāṇa; uncertain here)

Key Themes

• Varṇāśrama-dharma
• Gṛhastha-āśrama
• Social-religious duties

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse frames dharma as role- and stage-appropriate: one should follow the duties prescribed for one’s varṇa and āśrama, with gṛhastha presented as the foundational life for sustaining society.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily Dharma-śikṣā within Vamśānucarita/ācāra-oriented narration (didactic material rather than sarga/pratisarga cosmology).

What is the symbolic significance?

By calling gṛhastha ‘uttama’ (excellent), the text symbolically elevates the sustaining, duty-bearing life that supports ritual, charity, and social continuity.