Shloka 30
Teaching on Karma-yoga
Discipline of Action as Worship
उपाध्यायः पिता ज्येष्ठो भ्राता त्राता च भीतितः । मातुलः श्वशुरश्चैव मातामह पितामहौ
upādhyāyaḥ pitā jyeṣṭho bhrātā trātā ca bhītitaḥ | mātulaḥ śvaśuraścaiva mātāmaha pitāmahau
ఉపాధ్యాయుడు, తండ్రి, పెద్ద అన్న, అన్న, భయమునుండి రక్షించువాడు; అలాగే మేనమామ, మామగారు (శ్వశురుడు), మాతామహుడు మరియు పితామహుడు—ఇవన్నీ విశేషంగా పూజ్యులుగా భావించబడతారు.
Not explicitly specified in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses of Svarga-khaṇḍa 3.51).
Concept: Multiple relations function as ‘gurus’—those who teach, beget, protect, and sustain deserve special reverence.
Application: Maintain respectful conduct toward teachers and elder kin; offer practical support, seek blessings, and avoid harsh speech—especially toward those who protected you in crisis.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Inside a traditional home’s inner courtyard, a young man bows to an upādhyāya seated with scriptures, then turns to touch the feet of his father and elder brother. Nearby stands a rescuer-figure—an older kinsman who once shielded him—while maternal uncle, father-in-law, and both grandfathers sit in a semicircle, bestowing blessings.","primary_figures":["Upādhyāya (preceptor)","Father","Elder brother","Rescuer/protector (trātā)","Maternal uncle (mātula)","Father-in-law (śvaśura)","Maternal grandfather","Paternal grandfather","Young householder/student"],"setting":"Domestic courtyard with tulasi planter, low wooden seats, brass lamp, and a small Vishnu niche shrine on the wall.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["warm amber","sandalwood beige","maroon","peacock blue","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a household guru-varga assembly with gold leaf detailing on the Vishnu niche shrine and ornaments, rich maroon and emerald textiles, embossed halos for the upādhyāya and elders, and a central figure performing pāda-pranāma; include brass lamp glow and gem-like highlights for a devotional domestic sanctity.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate courtyard scene with delicate brushwork, soft warm tones, refined facial expressions of affection and dignity; elders seated in a gentle arc, the student bowing, with a small tulasi planter and Vishnu niche subtly present; emphasize tenderness and order.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: frieze composition of elders labeled by gesture—teacher with palm-leaf, father with staff, grandfathers with white beards—bold outlines and natural pigments; lamp-lit Vishnu niche behind, large expressive eyes conveying benevolent authority.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional domestic tableau framed by lotus and floral borders; a small central Vishnu emblem above the elders, deep blue and gold accents, peacocks at corners; the act of bowing rendered as seva within a sacred household cosmos."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft mridang-like pulse (subtle)","temple bell","household silence","lamp crackle"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: श्वशुरश्चैव = श्वशुरः + च + एव; मातामह पितामहौ (पाठे) = मातामहः + पितामहौ
FAQs
It enumerates key elders and protectors—especially the teacher and close senior relatives—who are to be treated with heightened reverence as part of dharma.
The verse explicitly includes both lineages—maternal (mātāmaha) and paternal (pitāmaha)—to emphasize comprehensive respect across the family network.
It reinforces the dharmic ideal that gratitude, obedience, and honor toward those who teach, raise, protect, and guide one’s life are foundational virtues.