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Shloka 1

An exposition of varṇa-dharma as taught by Yājñavalkya

Devanagari script

इत श्रीगारुडे महापुराणे पूर्वखण्डे प्रथमांशाक्ये आचारकाण्डे याज्ञवल्क्योक्तवर्णधर्मनिरूपणं नाम चतुर्नवतितमो ऽध्यायः याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच / शृण्वन्तु मुनयो धर्मान् गृहस्थस्य यतव्रताः / गुरवे च धनं दत्त्वा स्नात्वा च तदनुज्ञया

Transliteration

ita śrīgāruḍe mahāpurāṇe pūrvakhaṇḍe prathamāṃśākye ācārakāṇḍe yājñavalkyoktavarṇadharmanirūpaṇaṃ nāma caturnavatitamo 'dhyāyaḥ yājñavalkya uvāca / śṛṇvantu munayo dharmān gṛhasthasya yatavratāḥ / gurave ca dhanaṃ dattvā snātvā ca tadanujñayā

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ ശ്രീഗരുഡ മഹാപുരാണത്തിന്റെ പൂർവഖണ്ഡം, പ്രഥമാംശം, ആചാരകാണ്ഡത്തിൽ ‘യാജ്ഞവൽക്ക്യോക്ത വർണധർമ്മനിരൂപണം’ എന്ന പേരിലുള്ള ചതുര്നവതിതമ അധ്യായം (ആരംഭം). യാജ്ഞവൽക്ക്യൻ പറഞ്ഞു— വ്രതനിയമങ്ങളിൽ സംയമിതരായ മുനിമാർ ഗൃഹസ്ഥധർമ്മങ്ങൾ കേൾക്കുക; ഗുരുവിന് ധനം നൽകി, അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ അനുവാദത്തോടെ സ്നാനം ചെയ്ത്.

Word by Word
इतिthus
इति:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; इत्यादि-समाप्तिसूचक (quotative/end marker)
श्रीगारुडेin the revered Garuḍa (Purāṇa)
श्रीगारुडे:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootश्री + गरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (श्रीमान् गरुडः/गरुडसम्बन्धि)
महापुराणेin the Mahāpurāṇa
महापुराणे:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootमहा + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् पुराणम्)
पूर्वखण्डेin the first section
पूर्वखण्डे:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootपूर्व + खण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः
प्रथमांशाक्येnamed 'First Part'
प्रथमांशाक्ये:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रथम + अंश + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (प्रथमस्य अंशस्य आख्यः/नामकः)
आचारकाण्डेin the section on conduct
आचारकाण्डे:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootआचार + काण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (आचारस्य काण्डः)
याज्ञवल्क्योक्तवर्णधर्मनिरूपणम्the exposition of varṇa-dharma spoken by Yājñavalkya
याज्ञवल्क्योक्तवर्णधर्मनिरूपणम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयाज्ञवल्क्य + उक्त + वर्णधर्म + निरूपण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—बहु-तत्पुरुषः (याज्ञवल्क्येन उक्तस्य वर्णधर्मस्य निरूपणम्)
नामnamed
नाम:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनाम (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; नामनिर्देशार्थक (indeclinable: named/called)
चतुर्नवतितमःninety-fourth
चतुर्नवतितमः:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootचतुर् + नवति + तम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal)
अध्यायःchapter
अध्यायः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
याज्ञवल्क्यःYājñavalkya
याज्ञवल्क्यः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयाज्ञवल्क्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√वच् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन
शृण्वन्तुlet (them) hear
शृण्वन्तु:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√श्रु (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन
मुनयःsages
मुनयः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन
धर्मान्duties / dharmas
धर्मान्:
Karman (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन
गृहस्थस्यof the householder
गृहस्थस्य:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootगृहस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन
यतव्रताःof restrained vows
यतव्रताः:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootयत + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (यतानि व्रतानि येषाम्)
गुरवेto the teacher
गुरवे:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootगुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन
चand
च:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)
धनम्wealth
धनम्:
Karman (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootधन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
दत्त्वाhaving given
दत्त्वा:
Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Root√दा (धातु)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)
स्नात्वाhaving bathed
स्नात्वा:
Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Root√स्ना (धातु)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)
चand
च:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)
तत्his/that
तत्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (referring to guru)
अनुज्ञयाwith permission
अनुज्ञया:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootअनुज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
Speaker

Yājñavalkya

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Transition protocol: offer wealth to the guru (guru-dakṣiṇā), obtain permission, perform snāna (samāvartana), then receive gṛhastha duties.

Vedantic Theme: Paramparā (lineage) and śruti-smṛti authority; dharma as lived discipline grounded in humility and gratitude to the teacher.

Application: Honor teachers/mentors with appropriate gratitude; seek proper closure and consent before major life transitions; approach duties through listening and restraint.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: textual/assembly setting (muni-sabhā)

Cross References

Related Themes: Ācāra-kāṇḍa: samāvartana, guru-dakṣiṇā, gṛhastha duties (general parallel)

Characters & Entities
Y
Yājñavalkya
M
Munis (sages)
G
Guru (teacher)

FAQs

This verse frames the householder’s dharma as a formal teaching to be heard from sages/teachers, emphasizing disciplined vows and proper ritual-ethical preparation before learning and practicing duties.

No. It belongs to the Ācāra-kāṇḍa (conduct section) and introduces householder duties and the protocol of learning (honoring the guru, purification), rather than afterlife geography or Yama’s realm.

Approach spiritual study with humility: honor your teacher/lineage (service or appropriate offering), seek guidance/permission, and cultivate inner and outer cleanliness before taking up dharma in daily life.

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