Shloka 29

Adhyaya 29 — Alarka’s Inquiry and Madalasa’s Teaching on Householder Dharma (Gārhasthya), Vaiśvadeva, and Atithi Hospitality

Sanskrit

शोभनाशोभनाकाराṃ तं मन्येत प्रजापतिम् ।

अनित्यं हि स्थितो यस्मात् तस्मादतिथिरुच्यते ॥

Transliteration

śobhanāśobhanākāraṃ taṃ manyeta prajāpatim / anityaṃ hi sthito yasmāt tasmād atithir ucyate

Translation

അതിഥിയെ—അവൻ മനോഹരദർശനനായാലും അമനോഹരദർശനനായാലും—പ്രജാപതിസ്വരൂപനായി തന്നെ കരുതണം. അവന്റെ താമസം സ്ഥിരമല്ല; അതുകൊണ്ട് വരവിന് നിശ്ചിത തിഥിയില്ലാത്തവൻ എന്നർത്ഥത്തിൽ ‘അതിഥി’ എന്നു വിളിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• śobhana-aśobhana-ākāram: having auspicious and inauspicious forms
• śobhana-aśobhana-ākāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śobhana (प्रातिपदिक) + aśobhana (प्रातिपदिक) + ākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; compound used adjectivally qualifying prajāpatim

• tam: him/that one
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; pronoun

• manyeta: should consider
• manyeta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: man (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• prajāpatim: the Lord of creatures (Prajāpati)
• prajāpatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajāpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa: prajāyāḥ patiḥ

• anityam: impermanent
• anityam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; used predicatively with sthitaḥ

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) expressing emphasis/indeed

• sthitaḥ: is situated/abides
• sthitaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; used as predicate/adjectival participle

• yasmāt: because/from which
• yasmāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; relative pronoun

• tasmāt: therefore/from that
• tasmāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; correlative pronoun

• atithiḥ: guest
• atithiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atithi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ucyate: is called
• ucyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Passive (कर्मणि), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• Dharma-instruction voice within the Markandeya Purana’s didactic section (householder duties)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Prajāpati

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Gṛhastha-dharma
• Atithi-satkāra (hospitality)
• Ethics

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Hospitality is not contingent on external traits. The guest embodies a divine principle (Prajāpati), so honoring an atithi becomes a direct act of dharma rather than social preference.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily ‘Vamśānucarita/Dharma’ material rather than cosmological pancalakṣaṇa; it functions as smṛti-like ethical instruction embedded in the Purāṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘impermanent guest’ symbolizes the transient nature of worldly encounters; responding with reverence trains non-reactivity and sanctifies daily life as yajña.