Shloka 4

Adhyaya 19 — Kartavirya Arjuna at Dattatreya’s Ashram: Boons, Sovereignty, and Vaishnava Praise

Sanskrit

यथैवोक्ताः पुरा देवाः मद्यभोगादिकुत्सनम् ।

स्त्री चेयं मम पार्श्वस्थेत्येतद्भोगाच्च कुत्सितम् ॥

Transliteration

yathaivoktāḥ purā devā madyabhogādikutsanam / strī ceyaṃ mama pārśvasthā ity etad bhogāc ca kutsitam

Translation

Assim como outrora os deuses falaram condenando a bebida e a entrega aos prazeres e coisas semelhantes—do mesmo modo, dizer «esta mulher está ao meu lado» e entregar-se a tal gozo também é censurável.

Word by Word

यथाas

एवindeed, just

उक्ताःwere said

पुराformerly

देवाःthe gods

मद्यभोगादिकुत्सनम्censure of wine-drinking and indulgence etc.

स्त्रीa woman

चand

इयम्this (woman)

ममmy

पार्श्वस्थेat (my) side

इतिthus

एतत्this

भोगात्from indulgence

चand

कुत्सितम्blameworthy, censured

Speakers

Dattātreya (sage) admonishing; narrative voice introduces his teaching

Primary Deities

Dattātreya

Shakti Aspects

Not explicit (the ‘woman at my side’ is not named here; later verses suggest a divine test/illusion context)

Key Themes

Ethical restraintCondemnation of intoxicationSense-controlDiscernment regarding pleasure

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse frames indulgence—especially intoxication and possessive sensuality—as spiritually and ethically degrading; it warns a ruler that self-mastery is integral to legitimate power.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Dharma-teaching embedded in narrative (ākhyāna). It is not one of the five cosmological marks, but a didactic passage within vaṃśānucarita-style storytelling.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Woman at my side’ can function as a symbol of appropriation—turning relationship into possession; the critique targets the ego’s claim (‘mine’) that converts śakti into an object of consumption.