Shloka 9

Teaching of Karma-yoga

Student Conduct, Vedic Study, and Gāyatrī Supremacy

Devanagari script

नास्य निर्माल्यशयनं पादुकोपानहावपि । आक्रामेदासनं चास्य च्छायादीन्वा कदाचन

Transliteration

nāsya nirmālyaśayanaṃ pādukopānahāvapi | ākrāmedāsanaṃ cāsya cchāyādīnvā kadācana

Translation

അവന്റെ നിർമ്മാല്യശയനത്തിലും അവന്റെ പാദുകകളിലോ പാദത്രാണങ്ങളിലോ ഒരിക്കലും കാൽവയ്ക്കരുത്; അവന്റെ ആസനവും ചവിട്ടരുത്; അവന്റെ ഛായ മുതലായവയും ഒരിക്കലും അതിക്രമിക്കരുത്।

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Negation particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध-निपात

• अस्य: of him / his
• अस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निर्माल्यशयनम्: his bed/seat with used garlands (nirmālya)
• निर्माल्यशयनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्माल्य-शयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (निर्माल्ये शयनम् / निर्माल्यस्य शयनम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पादुक: sandals
• पादुक: कर्म (Karma/Object, within compound list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पादुका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (stem form in compound), एकवचन (as member of compound)

• उपानहौ: shoes
• उपानहौ: कर्म (Karma/Object, within compound list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपानह् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (as compound member), द्विवचन/समाहार (pair of shoes; compound member)

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (also/even)

• आक्रामेत्: should step on/trample
• आक्रामेत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; निषेधेन सह (prohibitive: 'should not step on')

• आसनम्: seat
• आसनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• अस्य: of him / his
• अस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• छायादीन्: his shadow and the like
• छायादीन्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छाया-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (छाया च आदि च → 'shadow etc.' as a set), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वा: or
• वा: समुच्चय/विकल्प (Connector: alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• कदाचन: ever, at any time
• कदाचन: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (adverb of time: 'ever/at any time')

Speaker

Unspecified (context not provided; verse reads as a prescriptive instruction).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: न + अस्य → नास्य; पादुका + उपानहौ + अपि → पादुकोपानहावपि; आक्रामेत् + आसनम् → आक्रामेदासनम्; च + अस्य → चास्य; छाया + आदीन् → च्छायादीन् (छ्-आदि sandhi/orthography)

FAQs

What conduct is prohibited in this verse?

It prohibits stepping over or trampling items associated with a respected person—such as garland-strewn bedding, sandals/footwear, the person’s seat, and even their shade or related personal space.

Why does the verse mention shade (chāyā) along with physical objects?

Including “shade and the like” broadens the rule from tangible items to personal proximity and symbolic extensions of a person, emphasizing comprehensive reverence and restraint.

What ethical lesson does this verse teach?

It teaches humility and reverence: avoiding casual disrespect toward a person’s belongings or presence is treated as part of righteous conduct (ācāra) and moral discipline.