Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 50

Karma-yoga Discipline for the Twice-born: Upanayana, Upavīta Conduct, Guru-veneration, and Alms-regimen

पञ्चानां त्रिषु वर्णेषु भूयांसि बलवन्ति च / यत्र स्युः सो ऽत्र मानार्हः शूद्रो ऽपि दशमीं गतः

pañcānāṃ triṣu varṇeṣu bhūyāṃsi balavanti ca / yatra syuḥ so 'tra mānārhaḥ śūdro 'pi daśamīṃ gataḥ

Среди трёх высших варн тот, в ком пять достоинств проявлены в большем числе и силе, достоин почёта. Даже шудра, если достиг десятой ступени заслуги/положения, подлежит уважению.

पञ्चानाम्of the five
पञ्चानाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootपञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); संख्याशब्द used substantively: 'of the five (honor-grounds)'
त्रिषुin the three
त्रिषु:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
TypeAdjective
Rootत्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural); qualifying 'वर्णेषु'
वर्णेषुin the varṇas (social classes)
वर्णेषु:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
TypeNoun
Rootवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)
भूयांसिgreater, more predominant
भूयांसि:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeAdjective
Rootभूयस् (प्रातिपदिक; comparative)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); तुलनात्मक (comparative)
बलवन्तिstrong, powerful
बलवन्ति:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootबलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); predicate adjective to 'भूयांसि'
and
:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)
यत्रwhere
यत्र:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयत्र (अव्यय)
Formदेशवाचक अव्यय (relative adverb: where)
स्युःmay be, are (in that case)
स्युः:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)
सःhe
सः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)
अत्रhere, in this matter
अत्र:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअत्र (अव्यय)
Formदेशवाचक अव्यय (adverb: here)
मान-अर्हःworthy of honor
मान-अर्हः:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootमान-अर्ह (प्रातिपदिक; मान + अर्ह)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष: मानम् अर्हति = worthy of honor
शूद्रःa Śūdra
शूद्रः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject; in apposition to सः)
TypeNoun
Rootशूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
अपिeven, also
अपि:
Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक/Particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधारण/सम्भावना/अपि-कार (particle: even/also)
दशमीम्the tenth (stage/rank)
दशमीम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootदशमी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); 'दशमीं (अवस्थाम्/पदवीं)' implied
गतःhaving gone/attained
गतः:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative participle)
TypeVerb
Rootगम् (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle, PPP), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; used predicatively with 'सः/शूद्रः'

Traditional purāṇic narrator (instructional dharma discourse within the Kurma Purana’s Purva-bhaga context)

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

V
Varṇāśrama Dharma
Ś
Śūdra

FAQs

Indirectly: it prioritizes inner qualities (guṇa/adhikāra) over mere birth-status, aligning with the Purāṇic view that spiritual worth is grounded in cultivated virtues that support self-knowledge.

No specific technique is named; the verse stresses eligibility through strengthened virtues—an ethical foundation (yama-like discipline) that supports higher sādhana such as Pāśupata-oriented devotion, japa, and contemplation taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

Not explicitly; however, its merit-based dharma framework is consistent with the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis, where devotion and discipline—not sectarian identity—govern spiritual honor and progress.