Shloka 28

Adhyaya 29 — Alarka’s Inquiry and Madalasa’s Teaching on Householder Dharma (Gārhasthya), Vaiśvadeva, and Atithi Hospitality

Sanskrit

ब्राह्मणं प्राहुरतिथिं स पूज्यः शक्तितो बुधैः ।

न पृच्छेद् गोत्रचरणं स्वाध्यायञ्चापि पण्डितः ॥

Transliteration

brāhmaṇaṃ prāhur atithiṃ sa pūjyaḥ śaktito budhaiḥ / na pṛcched gotracaraṇaṃ svādhyāyaṃ cāpi paṇḍitaḥ

Translation

ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣକୁ ‘ଅତିଥି’ ବୋଲି କୁହନ୍ତି; ବୁଦ୍ଧିମାନମାନେ ଯଥାଶକ୍ତି ତାଙ୍କୁ ସମ୍ମାନ କରିବା ଉଚିତ। ପଣ୍ଡିତ ଲୋକ ତାଙ୍କର ଗୋତ୍ର, ଚରଣ କିମ୍ବା ସ୍ୱାଧ୍ୟାୟ ସମ୍ବନ୍ଧରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ପଚାରିବା ଉଚିତ ନୁହେଁ।

Word by Word

• brāhmaṇam: a brāhmaṇa
• brāhmaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• prāhuḥ: they have said/call
• prāhuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√ah (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• atithim: a guest
• atithim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atithi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• saḥ: he/that (guest)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• pūjyaḥ: worthy to be honored
• pūjyaḥ: Prayojya (प्रयोज्य/obligation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √pūj (धातु) + ya (य)
• Form: Gerundive (कृत्य/य-प्रत्ययान्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• śaktitaḥ: according to ability
• śaktitaḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/ manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तसिल्)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (तसिल्-प्रत्यय), manner: 'according to ability'

• budhaiḥ: by the wise
• budhaiḥ: Kartr̥ (कर्ता/agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• pṛcchet: should ask
• pṛcchet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √prach (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• gotra-caraṇam: (his) clan and Vedic school
• gotra-caraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gotra (प्रातिपदिक) + caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); itaretara-dvandva: 'gotra and caraṇa (Vedic school/lineage)'

• svādhyāyam: (his) Vedic study/recitation
• svādhyāyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svādhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), 'also/even'

• paṇḍitaḥ: a learned man
• paṇḍitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṇḍita (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• Not in Devi Māhātmyam; atithi-dharma instruction in Markandeya Purāṇa’s dharma section.

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "dharma", "secondaryRasa": "bhakti", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Atithi-dharma
• Brāhmaṇa-honor
• Non-inquisitorial hospitality

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Hospitality must be unconditional and non-investigative: the guest is not to be screened for pedigree or credentials before being helped.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra/Dharma instruction; a normative social-ethical rule within the Purāṇic framework.

What is the esoteric significance?

Refusing to ask gotra/caraṇa/svādhyāya curbs pride and factionalism; the guest is received as a bearer of sacred presence, not as a social category to be evaluated.