Shloka 16

कālacakra-वर्णनम् तथा āśrama-धarma-निरूपणम्

The Wheel of Time and the Norms of the Āśramas

Devanagari script

स्वदारनिरतो नित्यं शिष्टाचारो जितेन्द्रिय: । पज्चभिश्न महायज्ञै: श्रद्दधानो यजेदिह

Transliteration

svadāra-nirato nityaṁ śiṣṭācāro jitendriyaḥ | pañcabhir mahāyajñaiḥ śraddadhāno yajed iha ||

Translation

ବାୟୁ କହିଲେ—ଗୃହସ୍ଥ ନିତ୍ୟ ନିଜ ଧର୍ମପତ୍ନୀରେ ନିଷ୍ଠ ରହିବା, ଶିଷ୍ଟ-ସଜ୍ଜନଙ୍କ ଆଚାର ପାଳନ କରିବା ଏବଂ ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟସଂଯମୀ ହେବା ଉଚିତ। ଏହି ଆଶ୍ରମରେ ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାସହ ପଞ୍ଚମହାଯଜ୍ଞ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଦେବତା ଓ ସମସ୍ତ ପ୍ରାଣୀଙ୍କୁ ସମ୍ମାନ କରି ଧର୍ମବ୍ୟବସ୍ଥାକୁ ଧାରଣ କରିବା ଉଚିତ।

Word by Word

• स्वदारनिरतः: devoted to his own wife
• स्वदारनिरतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वदारनिरत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• शिष्टाचारः: one who follows the conduct of the cultured (good conduct)
• शिष्टाचारः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्टाचार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जितेन्द्रियः: self-controlled (having conquered the senses)
• जितेन्द्रियः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जितेन्द्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पञ्चभिः: by/with five
• पञ्चभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• महायज्ञैः: with the great sacrifices
• महायज्ञैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महायज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• श्रद्दधानः: having faith, faithful
• श्रद्दधानः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रद्दधान
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यजेत्: should worship/sacrifice
• यजेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• इह: here (in this world/at this stage)
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• svadāra (one’s lawful wife)
• pañca-mahāyajña (five great sacrifices)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse defines key duties of a householder: fidelity to one’s spouse, adherence to the conduct of the virtuous, mastery over the senses, and faithful performance of the pañca-mahāyajñas—daily obligations that sustain gods, ancestors, beings, humans, and sacred knowledge.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is speaking as a moral instructor, laying down normative guidance for gṛhastha life. Rather than describing an action scene, the passage functions as a dharma-teaching within the Ashvamedhika Parva’s broader post-war ethical and restorative discourse.