Shloka 40

Cosmic Manifestation, Mahāmāyā’s Mandate, Varṇāśrama-Dharma, and the Unity of the Trimūrti

Devanagari script

अग्नयो ऽतिथिशुश्रूषा यज्ञो दानं सुरार्चनम् / गृहस्थस्य समासेन धर्मो ऽयं मुनिपुङ्गवाः

Transliteration

agnayo 'tithiśuśrūṣā yajño dānaṃ surārcanam / gṛhasthasya samāsena dharmo 'yaṃ munipuṅgavāḥ

Translation

Memelihara api suci, melayani tetamu dengan penuh hormat, melaksanakan yajña, bersedekah, dan memuja para dewa—ringkasnya, wahai para muni terunggul, inilah dharma bagi seorang grihastha (ketua rumah tangga).

Word by Word

• अग्नयः: sacred fires
• अग्नयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अतिथि-शुश्रूषा: service to guests
• अतिथि-शुश्रूषा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक) + शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative)

• यज्ञः: sacrifice
• यज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दानम्: charity
• दानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुर-अर्चनम्: worship of the gods
• सुर-अर्चनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• गृहस्थस्य: of the householder
• गृहस्थस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• समासेन: in brief
• समासेन: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (adverbial instrumental sense), ‘संक्षेपेण’ (briefly)

• धर्मः: duty; dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• मुनि-पुङ्गवाः: O best of sages
• मुनि-पुङ्गवाः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + पुङ्गव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘मुनिनां पुङ्गवाः’)

Speaker

Narrator-teacher (Purāṇic sage addressing assembled sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Devas (Suras)
• Atithi (Guest)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

It does not define Ātman directly; it teaches a practical dharma framework where disciplined action—yajña, dāna, and worship—purifies the mind, making it fit for Self-knowledge emphasized elsewhere in the Purāṇa.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Rather than formal meditation, it highlights karma-yoga through gṛhastha duties: maintaining agni, serving guests, sacrificial offering, charity, and deva-arcana—actions performed as sacred offerings that cultivate sattva and inner steadiness.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

It frames dharma through universal worship (sura-arcana) and yajña, aligning with the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance: devotion and ritual duty can be directed toward the divine in multiple forms, supporting a Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis without sectarian exclusion.