Shloka 8

Adhyaya 1 — Jaimini’s Questions on the Mahabharata and the Origin of the Wise Birds

Sanskrit

चतुराश्रमधर्माणामाचारस्थितिसाधनम् ।

प्रोक्तमेतन्महाभाग वेदव्यासेन धीमता ॥

Transliteration

caturāśramadharmāṇām ācārasthitisādhanam /

proktam etan mahābhāga vedavyāsena dhīmatā //

Translation

ഹേ മഹാഭാഗനേ! ജ്ഞാനിയായ വേദവ്യാസൻ ഉപദേശിച്ചതിതാണ്—ഇതിനാൽ നാലാശ്രമധർമ്മങ്ങളുടെ മര്യാദയും സദാചാരത്തിന്റെ സ്ഥാപിതക്രമവും നിലനിൽക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• caturāśrama-dharmāṇām: of the duties of the four āśramas
• caturāśrama-dharmāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur + āśrama + dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; समासः—चतुराश्रमधर्म (तत्पुरुष)

• ācāra-sthiti-sādhanam: the means for establishing proper conduct
• ācāra-sthiti-sādhanam: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ācāra + sthiti + sādhaná (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; समासः—आचारस्थितिसाधन (तत्पुरुष)

• proktam: has been taught/declared
• proktam: Karma (कर्म) in passive construction
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कृदन्त), Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agrees with ‘ācāra-sthiti-sādhanam’

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (कर्ता/प्रथमा) (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• mahābhāga: O greatly fortunate one
• mahābhāga: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; समासः—महाभाग (कर्मधारय)

• veda-vyāsena: by Vedavyāsa
• veda-vyāsena: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda + vyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; समासः—वेदव्यास (कर्मधारय)

• dhīmatā: by the wise (one)
• dhīmatā: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhīmat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; adjective qualifying ‘veda-vyāsena’

Speakers

• Frame narration in the opening chapter (speaker not explicit from this single verse); attribution to Vyāsa as authoritative source

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Āśrama system
• Social-ethical order
• Authority of Vyāsa/Smṛti-Purāṇa tradition

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma is preserved not merely by abstract doctrine but by ācāra—lived discipline and socially sustaining practice—across all four life-stages. The verse frames the text as guidance for maintaining the stability (sthiti) of the āśrama-based moral order.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Primarily aligns with 'vaṃśānucarita' in the broad sense of Purāṇic instruction and tradition-transmission, and with Purāṇic dharma-upadeśa (didactic function). It is not directly sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa content in this verse, but an opening statement of scope and authority.

What is the esoteric significance?

On an inner reading, the 'four āśramas' can be seen as four modes of disciplined maturation of consciousness; ācāra is the practical sādhana that stabilizes (sthiti) the mind and society alike. Vyāsa’s mention signals that spiritual realization is anchored in tested, transmitted discipline rather than novelty.