Shloka 38

Vidyā–Avidyā and the Twenty-Fifth Principle

Sāṃkhya–Yoga Clarification

Devanagari script

सर्वात्मनानुकुर्वीत गृहस्थ: कर्मनिश्चयम्‌ । दाक्ष्येण हव्यकव्यार्थ स्वधर्मे विचरन्‌ नृप

Transliteration

sarvātmanānukurvīta gṛhasthaḥ karmaniścayam | dākṣyeṇa havyakavyārtha svadharme vicaran nṛpa naraśvara |

Translation

ପରାଶର କହିଲେ—ହେ ନରେଶ୍ୱର! ଗୃହସ୍ଥ ମନ-ପ୍ରାଣ ସହିତ ନିଜ କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟରେ ଦୃଢ଼ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ କରୁ। ସ୍ୱଧର୍ମରେ ଚାଲି ଦକ୍ଷତାର ସହିତ ଦେବକାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ଓ ପିତୃକାର୍ଯ୍ୟ—ଯଜ୍ଞ ଓ ଶ୍ରାଦ୍ଧ ଆଦି—କର୍ମର ଅନୁଷ୍ଠାନ କରୁ।

Word by Word

• सर्वात्मना: with the whole self; wholly
• सर्वात्मना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अनुकुर्वीत: should perform; should carry out
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (अनु + कृ)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• गृहस्थः: the householder
• गृहस्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कर्मनिश्चयम्: the determination regarding duties/acts
• कर्मनिश्चयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मनिश्चय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दाक्ष्येण: with skill; competently
• दाक्ष्येण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाक्ष्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• हव्यकव्यार्थम्: for the purpose of offerings to gods and ancestors (havyas and kavyas)
• हव्यकव्यार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हव्यकव्यार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• स्वधर्मे: in/within one’s own duty (proper dharma)
• स्वधर्मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• विचरन्: acting; conducting oneself; moving about (in practice)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (वि + चर्)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नृप: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• नरेश्वर: O lord of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

पराशर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• nṛpa (the king addressed)
• gṛhastha (householder)
• havya (offerings to gods)
• kavya (offerings to ancestors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that a householder must wholeheartedly commit to his prescribed duties and perform them with competence—especially the obligations toward gods (yajña/havya) and ancestors (śrāddha/kavya)—as an essential expression of svadharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, the sage Parāśara addresses a king, advising him on the proper conduct of the householder stage: firm resolve in duty and skillful performance of sacrificial and ancestral rites.