Shloka 5

Saṅkara-jāti-nirṇaya and Gṛhastha-ācāra: Daily Rites, Purity, Anadhyāya, and Food Discipline

Devanagari script

शूद्रादयोगवं वैश्या जनयामास वै सुतम् / माहिष्येण करण्यां तु रथकारः प्रजायते

Transliteration

śūdrādayogavaṃ vaiśyā janayāmāsa vai sutam / māhiṣyeṇa karaṇyāṃ tu rathakāraḥ prajāyate

Translation

ਸ਼ੂਦਰ ਤੋਂ ਵੈਸ਼ਿਆ ਇਸਤਰੀ ਦੇ ਗਰਭੋਂ ਜੋ ਪੁੱਤਰ ਜੰਮਦਾ ਹੈ, ਉਹ ‘ਅਯੋਗਵ’ ਕਿਹਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਅਤੇ ਮਾਹਿਸ਼੍ਯ ਪੁਰਖ ਤੇ ਕਰਣੀ ਇਸਤਰੀ ਦੇ ਸੰਯੋਗ ਤੋਂ ‘ਰਥਕਾਰ’ (ਰਥ ਬਣਾਉਣ ਵਾਲਾ) ਜੰਮਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• शूद्रात्: from a Śūdra
• शूद्रात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• अयोगवम्: an Ayogava (offspring/caste-name)
• अयोगवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयोगव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• वैश्यā: a Vaiśyā woman
• वैश्यā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• जनयामास: gave birth to / produced
• जनयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• सुतम्: a son
• सुतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• माहिष्येण: by/through a Māhiṣya (man)
• माहिष्येण: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• करण्याम्: a Karaṇī woman
• करण्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• तु: but/and
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (adversative/contrast particle)

• रथकारः: a chariot-maker (Rathakāra)
• रथकारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• प्रजायते: is born / comes into being
• प्रजायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mixed-union progeny are named and situated within a dharma-social taxonomy; occupation and status are linked to lineage rules.

Vedantic Theme: Prakriti-based social ordering (guna/karma as expressed through birth and vocation) within pravritti-dharma; not a direct moksha teaching.

Application: Use as a normative reference in discussions of marriage rules, community identity, and hereditary crafts (e.g., rathakara) in a dharma-legal context.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.96.6 (mixed unions and status elevation); Garuda Purana 1.96.7-9 (smarta duties and daily rites)

Characters & Entities

• Ayogava
• Māhiṣya
• Karaṇī
• Rathakāra
• Śūdra
• Vaiśyā

FAQs

What is the importance of jāti/varna classifications in this Garuda Purana verse?

This verse functions as a genealogical definition, naming specific communities (Ayogava, Rathakāra) as arising from particular inter-varna unions, reflecting the text’s dharma-style cataloging of social categories.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death in the Garuda Purana?

It does not directly describe the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it belongs to a section outlining social/genealogical classifications, which the Purana often connects to dharma and conduct rather than immediate afterlife geography.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Read it as a historical-dharmic taxonomy within the text: focus on ethical conduct (dharma) and one’s duties, rather than using such classifications for harm or discrimination.