Shloka 5

Adhyāya 283: Varṇa-vṛtti, Nyāya-ārjana, and the Decline-and-Restoration of Dharma (वर्णवृत्तिः न्यायार्जनं च)

Devanagari script

पृथिव्यामन्तरिक्षे च ये च स्वलोॉकवासिन: । सर्वे प्राजजलयो भूत्वा उपतस्थु: प्रजापतिम्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | pṛthivyām antarikṣe ca ye ca svalokavāsinaḥ | sarve prāñjalayo bhūtvā upatasthuḥ prajāpatiṃ ||

Translation

ไวศัมปายนะกล่าวว่า “ผู้ที่อยู่บนแผ่นดิน ในแดนกลาง (อันตรักษ์) และในโลกสวรรค์ทั้งหลาย ต่างพนมมือด้วยความเคารพ เข้าไปเฝ้าประชาบดี และยืนอยู่พร้อมเพื่อรับใช้”

Word by Word

• पृथिव्याम्: on/in the earth
• पृथिव्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• अन्तरिक्षे: in the mid-region/sky
• अन्तरिक्षे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तरिक्ष
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• ये: who/those who
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• स्वलोकवासिनः: inhabitants of their own (heavenly) world
• स्वलोकवासिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वलोकवासिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्राञ्जलयः: with joined hands (reverently)
• प्राञ्जलयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राञ्जलि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भूत्वा: having become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• उपतस्थुः: they attended/stood near
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-स्था
• Form: Liṭ (Perfect), Parasmaipada, Third, Plural

• प्रजापतिम्: Prajāpati (the lord of creatures)
• प्रजापतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Prajāpati
• Pṛthivī (Earth realm)
• Antarikṣa (mid-region/atmosphere)
• Sva-loka / Svarga (heavenly worlds)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic humility and recognition of rightful authority: beings from all realms honor Prajāpati with joined palms and attentive service, implying that ethical order is sustained through reverence, discipline, and proper conduct toward the upholder of creation.

What is happening in the narrative?

A grand assembly forms: residents of earth, the atmospheric mid-region, and the heavenly worlds gather together and, with hands folded in añjali, approach Prajāpati and stand near him in respectful attendance.