Shloka 6

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

Sanskrit

दानमध्ययनं यज्ञो वैश्यस्यापि त्रिधैव सः ।

वाणिज्यं पाशुपाल्यञ्च कृषिश्चैवास्य जीविका ॥

Transliteration

dānam adhyayanaṃ yajño vaiśyasyāpi tridhaiva saḥ | vāṇijyaṃ pāśupālyañ ca kṛṣiś caivāsya jīvikā ||

Translation

വൈശ്യനുമുള്ള ധർമ്മം അതുപോലെ ത്രിവിധം—ദാനം, സ്വാധ്യായം, യജ്ഞം. അവന്റെ ഉപജീവനം വ്യാപാരം, പശുപാലനം, കൃഷി എന്നിവയാൽ ആണ്.

Word by Word

• dānaम्: gift; giving
• dānaम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• adhyayanaम्: study
• adhyayanaम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyayana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• yajñaḥ: sacrifice
• yajñaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• vaiśyasya: of the Vaishya
• vaiśyasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• tridhā: in three ways
• tridhā: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tridhā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• eva: indeed; just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण-निपात)

• saḥ: that; he/it
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• vāṇijyam: trade; commerce
• vāṇijyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāṇijya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• pāśupālyam: cattle-rearing; animal husbandry
• pāśupālyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāśupālya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय)

• kṛṣiḥ: agriculture; farming
• kṛṣiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण-निपात)

• asya: of him/of this (i.e., of the Vaishya)
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• jīvikā: livelihood
• jīvikā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• Not specified in the provided excerpt (Ācāra instruction within Markandeya Purāṇa’s discourse context)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Varṇadharma
• Economy and livelihood
• Social order

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Wealth-generation is not independent of sacred obligation: the Vaiśya’s productive roles (trade, farming, animal care) are to be harmonized with giving, learning, and ritual—so prosperity circulates as dharma rather than mere accumulation.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra/Dharma teaching: a normative section that supports the Purāṇic project of sustaining society, often interwoven with genealogical and cosmic materials elsewhere.

What is the esoteric significance?

The triad of livelihood (trade–cattle–cultivation) mirrors stewardship of resources; prosperity becomes a ritualized trust (yajña) when aligned with dāna and disciplined knowledge.