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Shloka 12

Adhyaya 16The Son’s Counsel on Renunciation and the Anasuya–Mandavya Episode: The Suspension of Sunrise and the Power of Pativrata

पुत्र उवाच शृणु तात यथा योगो दत्तात्रेयेण धीमता ।

अलर्काय पुरा प्रोक्तः सम्यक् पृष्टेन विस्तरात् ॥

putra uvāca śṛṇu tāta yathā yogo dattātreyeṇa dhīmatā |

alarkāya purā proktaḥ samyak pṛṣṭena vistarāt ||

కుమారుడు అన్నాడు—తండ్రీ, వినండి: జ్ఞాని దత్తాత్రేయుడు పూర్వకాలంలో సమ్యక్‌గా ప్రశ్నించబడినప్పుడు అలర్కునికి యోగాన్ని విస్తారంగా ఉపదేశించిన విధాన్ని।

putraḥthe son
putraḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootputra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (वच्, धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथम-पुरुष), Singular
śṛṇulisten
śṛṇu:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootśru (श्रु, धातु)
FormImperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person (मध्यम-पुरुष), Singular
tātadear father/sir
tāta:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Roottāta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular
yathāas/how
yathā:
Prakāra (प्रकार)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyathā (अव्यय)
FormConjunction/adverb (यथा-अव्यय) “as/how/according to” introducing manner
yogaḥyoga (the teaching)
yogaḥ:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootyoga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
dattātreyeṇaby Dattātreya
dattātreyeṇa:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootdattātreya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular
dhīmatāby the wise (one)
dhīmatā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootdhīmat (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; adjective qualifying Dattātreya: “wise”
alarkāyato Alarka
alarkāya:
Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootalarka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular
purāformerly
purā:
Kāla (काल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootpurā (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय) “formerly/once”
proktaḥwas taught/was spoken
proktaḥ:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeAdjective
Rootpra+vac (प्र+वच्, धातु) (कृदन्त: क्त)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agrees with yogaḥ
samyakproperly
samyak:
Prakāra (प्रकार)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsamyak (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (रीतिवाचक-अव्यय) “properly/completely”
pṛṣṭenaby (one) who asked
pṛṣṭena:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootprach (प्रच्छ्, धातु) (कृदन्त: क्त)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; here masculine agreeing with implied (tvayā) / “by (one) who asked”; instrumental of agent in passive sense
vistarātin detail
vistarāt:
Prakāra (प्रकार)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvistara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormAblative used adverbially (तसिल्-अर्थे/पञ्चमी-प्रयोग) “in detail/at length”
Son addressing father; citation of Dattātreya as prior teacher and Alarka as recipient

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

Dattātreya
Teaching lineageAuthority by precedent (itihāsa-style citation)Yoga instructionProper inquiry (samyak praśna)

FAQs

Right instruction depends on right questioning; the text legitimizes its yoga teaching by rooting it in a revered exemplar (Dattātreya) and an earlier pedagogical event.

This is narrative framing for teaching (upadeśa-kathā). While Purāṇas often use genealogies and histories (vaṃśa/vaṃśānucarita), here the purpose is primarily soteriological instruction rather than dynastic record.

Invoking Dattātreya signals a synthesis-oriented yogic ideal (beyond rigid social identity), and ‘proper questioning’ hints that readiness and purity of intent are prerequisites for receiving transformative knowledge.