Shloka 17

कालयुक्तधर्मविवेकः

Discerning Dharma in Accord with Time

Devanagari script

वृत्त्यर्थ धर्महेतोर्वा सेवितव्य: सदा नरै: ।। स्वर्गवासमभीप्सद्/िर्न सेव्यस्त्वत उत्तर:

Transliteration

vṛttyarthaṃ dharmahetor vā sevitavyaḥ sadā naraiḥ | svargavāsam abhīpsadbhir na sevyas tv ata uttaraḥ ||

Translation

ଶ୍ରୀ ମହେଶ୍ୱର କହିଲେ—“ଜୀବିକାର୍ଥେ କିମ୍ବା ଧର୍ମାର୍ଥେ ମନୁଷ୍ୟମାନେ ସଦା ସେବାକର୍ମ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିବା ଉଚିତ। କିନ୍ତୁ ଯେମାନେ ସ୍ୱର୍ଗବାସ ଆକାଙ୍କ୍ଷା କରନ୍ତି, ସେମାନେ ‘ଉତ୍ତର’ (ଅର୍ଥାତ ନୀତିହୀନ/ଆତ୍ମୋନ୍ନତିରେ ବାଧକ) ପ୍ରକାର ସେବା ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିବା ଉଚିତ ନୁହେଁ।”

Word by Word

• वृत्त्यर्थम्: for the sake of livelihood
• वृत्त्यर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति-अर्थ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धर्महेतोः: for the sake of dharma / from the motive of dharma
• धर्महेतोः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म-हेतु
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• सेवितव्यः: should be served / should be resorted to
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव्
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• स्वर्गवासम्: dwelling in heaven
• स्वर्गवासम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग-वास
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभीप्सद्भिः: by those desiring
• अभीप्सद्भिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-ईप्स्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• सेव्यः: should be served / should be resorted to
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव्
• Form: Gerundive (यत्), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्वत्: than you / from you
• त्वत्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• उत्तरः: one superior / higher (person)
• उत्तरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Maheśvara
• Svarga

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Service or employment may be pursued for livelihood or for dharma, but one must discriminate: those aiming at heavenly merit should avoid forms of service that compromise dharma or impede spiritual/ethical goals.

What is happening in the narrative?

Maheśvara is giving a normative instruction about proper conduct—specifically, how and why one should undertake service—framing it in terms of dharma and the aspiration for Svarga.