Shloka 71

Adhyaya 21 — Householder's Dharma

Sanskrit

तथैव भर्तारमृते भार्या धर्मादिसाधने । न समर्था त्रिवर्गोऽयं दाम्पत्यं समुपाश्रितः ॥

Transliteration

tathaiva bhartāramṛte bhāryā dharmādi-sādhane / na samarthā trivargo 'yaṃ dāmpatyaṃ samupāśritaḥ

Translation

ਇਸੇ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਪਤੀ ਤੋਂ ਬਿਨਾ ਪਤਨੀ ਧਰਮ ਆਦਿ ਦੀ ਸਿੱਧੀ ਕਰਨ ਯੋਗ ਨਹੀਂ; ਇਹ ਤ੍ਰਿਵਰਗ (ਧਰਮ-ਅਰਥ-ਕਾਮ) ਗ੍ਰਿਹਸਥ ਆਸ਼੍ਰਮ ਉੱਤੇ ਹੀ ਆਧਾਰਿਤ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connecting adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/emphasis)

• भर्तारम्: husband
• भर्तारम्: Apadana (अपादान/point of separation with ṛte)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative), एकवचन

• ऋते: without
• ऋते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/without-relation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ṛte (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable) = ‘without’; governs द्वितीया/पञ्चमी usage

• भार्या: wife
• भार्या: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (nominative), एकवचन

• धर्म-आदि-साधने: in the accomplishment of dharma etc.
• धर्म-आदि-साधने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + sādhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (धर्मादीनां साधने)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (negation particle)

• समर्था: capable
• समर्था: Karta (कर्ता/with subject as predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samartha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies ‘bhāryā’)

• त्रिवर्गः: the three aims (dharma-artha-kāma)
• त्रिवर्गः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + varga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—द्विगुः (त्रयाणां वर्गः)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता/appositive to trivargaḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दाम्पत्यम्: married state/partnership
• दाम्पत्यम्: Karma (कर्म/object with samupāśritaḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāmpatya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समुपाश्रितः: dependent on; having resorted to
• समुपाश्रितः: Karta (कर्ता/predicate of trivargaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-upa-√śri (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘having resorted to/depending on’

Speakers

• Kuṇḍala (didactic counsel)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Mutual dependence
• Gṛhastha-dharma
• Trivarga
• Social order

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The teaching emphasizes reciprocity rather than one-sided obligation: both spouses are presented as necessary supports for a stable dharmic household.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary dharma/nīti instruction.

What is the esoteric significance?

Conjugal unity is treated as a ‘support’ (āśraya) for life-aims—symbolically, integration of complementary principles is required for any sustained sādhana in the world.