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Shloka 5

Adhyaya 29Alarka’s Inquiry and Madalasa’s Teaching on Householder Dharma (Gārhasthya), Vaiśvadeva, and Atithi Hospitality

गृहस्थमुपजीवन्ति ततस्तृप्तिं प्रयान्ति च ।

मुखं चास्य निरीक्षन्ते अपि नो दास्यतीति वै ॥

gṛhastham upajīvanti tatas tṛptiṃ prayānti ca | mukhaṃ cāsya nirīkṣante api no dāsyatīti vai ||

వారు గృహస్థుని ఆధారంగా జీవించి, దానివల్ల తృప్తి పొందుతారు; మరియు అతని ముఖాన్ని చూస్తూ—‘ఇస్తాడా, ఇవ్వడా?’ అని ఆలోచిస్తారు.

gṛhasthamthe householder
gṛhastham:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootgṛhastha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)
upajīvantilive upon/depend on
upajīvanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootupa-√jīv (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
tataḥtherefrom/then
tataḥ:
Apadana (अपादान)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottataḥ (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अपादान/क्रम-बोधक (adverb: 'therefrom/then')
tṛptimsatisfaction
tṛptim:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottṛpti (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया, एकवचन
prayāntiattain/go to
prayānti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpra-√yā (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)
mukhamface/mouth
mukham:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootmukha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)
asyaof him/of this (householder)
asya:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootidam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसक (Masc/Neut), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन
nirīkṣantelook at/observe
nirīkṣante:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootnir-√īkṣ (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद
apieven/also
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अपि-कार (particle: 'even/also')
naḥof us/our
naḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formउत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (Genitive/6th) बहुवचन (enclitic)
dāsyatiwill give
dāsyati:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√dā (धातु)
Formलृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
itithus/that
iti:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; इति-उक्त्यर्थक (quotative particle)
vaiindeed
vai:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvai (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निश्चयार्थक (emphatic particle)
Madālasā to Alarka

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

Dāna (giving)Atithi and dependentsEthics of provisionHouseholder centrality

FAQs

The verse emphasizes the moral pressure on the gṛhastha: many lives hinge on his generosity. Withholding is not merely private miserliness but a social and spiritual failure.

Practical dharma teaching; outside the five-lakṣaṇa core.

‘Watching the face’ suggests that dharma is enacted in small moments of choice: the inner disposition to give (or refuse) becomes the visible axis upon which others’ welfare turns.