Shloka 17

Cāturāśramya-dharma—Marks of the Four Āśramas (चातुराश्रम्यधर्मः)

Devanagari script

इन्द्र वाच मातापित्रो्हिं शुश्रूषा कर्तव्या सर्वदस्युभि: । आचार्यगुरुशुश्रूषा तथैवाश्रमवासिनाम्‌

Transliteration

indra uvāca: mātāpitroḥ hi śuśrūṣā kartavyā sarva-dasyubhiḥ | ācārya-guru-śuśrūṣā tathaivāśrama-vāsinām ||

Translation

ଇନ୍ଦ୍ର କହିଲେ—ରାଜନ୍! ଦସ୍ୟୁବୃତ୍ତିରେ ଜୀବନ ଚାଲାଉଥିବା ଲୋକମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ ସଦା ମାତା-ପିତାଙ୍କ ସେବା କରିବା ଉଚିତ; ଆଚାର୍ୟ ଓ ଗୁରୁଙ୍କ ସେବା ମଧ୍ୟ; ଏବଂ ସେହିପରି ଆଶ୍ରମବାସୀ ମୁନିମାନଙ୍କ ସେବା ମଧ୍ୟ।

Word by Word

• इन्द्रः: Indra
• इन्द्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular

• मातापित्रोः: of (one's) mother and father
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ/पितृ
• Form: Masculine/Feminine, Genitive, Dual

• हि: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• शुश्रूषा: service, attendance
• शुश्रूषा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कर्तव्या: to be done; should be performed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वदस्युभिः: by all dasyus (robbers/outlaws)
• सर्वदस्युभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व/दस्यु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• आचार्यगुरुशुश्रूषा: service to the teacher and guru
• आचार्यगुरुशुश्रूषा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य/गुरु/शुश्रूषा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एव: indeed; just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• आश्रमवासिनाम्: of the ashram-dwellers
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम/वासिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

Speaker

इन्द्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• mother
• father
• ācārya (teacher)
• guru (preceptor)
• āśrama-vāsins (hermitage-dwellers/sages)
• dasyu (outlaw/bandit)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Service (śuśrūṣā) to parents, teachers, and hermitage-dwelling sages is presented as a non-negotiable duty that applies universally—even to those living by wrongful means—showing that foundational obligations of gratitude and reverence stand above one’s profession or moral lapses.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra is instructing a king in a dharma-teaching context, emphasizing that even ‘dasyus’ (outlaws) are bound by basic norms of conduct: honoring parents, serving one’s ācārya and guru, and respecting ascetics in āśramas.