Shloka 40

Cosmic Manifestation, Mahāmāyā’s Mandate, Varṇāśrama-Dharma, and the Unity of the Trimūrti

Devanagari script

अग्नयो ऽतिथिशुश्रूषा यज्ञो दानं सुरार्चनम् / गृहस्थस्य समासेन धर्मो ऽयं मुनिपुङ्गवाः

Transliteration

agnayo 'tithiśuśrūṣā yajño dānaṃ surārcanam / gṛhasthasya samāsena dharmo 'yaṃ munipuṅgavāḥ

Translation

പവിത്ര അഗ്നികളുടെ പരിപാലനം, അതിഥിശുശ്രൂഷ, യജ്ഞം, ദാനം, ദേവാരാധനം—ഹേ മുനിശ്രേഷ്ഠന്മാരേ, സംക്ഷേപത്തിൽ ഇതാണ് ഗൃഹസ്ഥധർമ്മം।

Word by Word

• अग्नयः: sacred fires
• अग्नयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अतिथि-शुश्रूषा: service to guests
• अतिथि-शुश्रूषा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक) + शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative)

• यज्ञः: sacrifice
• यज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दानम्: charity
• दानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुर-अर्चनम्: worship of the gods
• सुर-अर्चनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• गृहस्थस्य: of the householder
• गृहस्थस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• समासेन: in brief
• समासेन: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (adverbial instrumental sense), ‘संक्षेपेण’ (briefly)

• धर्मः: duty; dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• मुनि-पुङ्गवाः: O best of sages
• मुनि-पुङ्गवाः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + पुङ्गव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘मुनिनां पुङ्गवाः’)

Speaker

Narrator-teacher (Purāṇic sage addressing assembled sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Devas (Suras)
• Atithi (Guest)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

It does not define Ātman directly; it teaches a practical dharma framework where disciplined action—yajña, dāna, and worship—purifies the mind, making it fit for Self-knowledge emphasized elsewhere in the Purāṇa.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Rather than formal meditation, it highlights karma-yoga through gṛhastha duties: maintaining agni, serving guests, sacrificial offering, charity, and deva-arcana—actions performed as sacred offerings that cultivate sattva and inner steadiness.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

It frames dharma through universal worship (sura-arcana) and yajña, aligning with the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance: devotion and ritual duty can be directed toward the divine in multiple forms, supporting a Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis without sectarian exclusion.