Shloka 8

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

Sanskrit

शान्तिपुष्टिशकृन्मूत्रा वर्णपादप्रतिष्ठिता ।

आजीव्यमाना जगतां साक्षया नापचीयते ॥

Transliteration

śāntipuṣṭiśakṛnmūtrā varṇapādapratiṣṭhitā | ājīvyamānā jagatāṃ sākṣayā nāpacīyate ||

Translation

അവളുടെ ഗോമയവും ഗോമൂത്രവും ശാന്തിയും പുഷ്ടിയുമെന്നായി കീർത്തിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു; അവൾ വർണ്ണങ്ങളായ പാദങ്ങളിൽ ദൃഢമായി നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു. ലോകങ്ങൾ അവളാൽ ജീവിക്കുന്നു; എങ്കിലും അവൾ ക്ഷയിക്കുകയില്ല—അവൾക്ക് വ്യയം സംഭവിക്കുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• śānti-puṣṭi-śakṛt-mūtrā: whose (products) are peace, nourishment, dung, and urine
• śānti-puṣṭi-śakṛt-mūtrā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śānti (प्रातिपदिक) + puṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + śakṛt (प्रातिपदिक) + mūtra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative list as epithet); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• varṇa-pāda-pratiṣṭhitā: established on the feet of the social orders
• varṇa-pāda-pratiṣṭhitā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: varṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + pratiṣṭhita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('established on the feet of varṇas'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ājīvyamānā: being depended upon for livelihood
• ājīvyamānā: Kriyā (क्रिया/participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√jīv (धातु) + yamāna (कृत्-प्रत्यय; शानच्/मान)
• Form: कृदन्त (present passive participle; शानच्/मान-प्रत्यय), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि—'being lived upon/being maintained as livelihood'

• jagatām: of the worlds/of beings
• jagatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• sa-kṣayā: with diminution/with loss
• sa-kṣayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-सदृश) + kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास ('with diminution'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण-भाव (adverbial instrumental)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• apacīyate: diminishes/wanes
• apacīyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: apa-√cī (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (is diminished/wanes)

Speakers

• Madālasā to Alarka

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma as sustenance
• Social stability
• Peace and prosperity
• Inexhaustibility of righteous support

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

When the household order functions dharmically, it yields ‘peace and nourishment’ for society. The varṇas are portrayed as structural supports; stability comes from each fulfilling proper responsibility, not from neglect or disorder.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ethical-social doctrine; not a direct pancalakṣaṇa unit.

What is the esoteric significance?

The cow is ‘inexhaustible’ though all feed upon her: dharma, when aligned with the Vedic order and generous circulation, is self-renewing. Peace (śānti) and prosperity (puṣṭi) arise as natural byproducts of a rightly ordered life.