Shloka 15

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

Sanskrit

तं तथा व्याधितं भार्या पतिं देवमिवार्च्चयत् । पादाभ्यङ्गाङ्गसंवाह-स्त्रानाच्छादनभोजनैः ॥

Transliteration

taṃ tathā vyādhitaṃ bhāryā patiṃ devamivārccayat / pādābhyaṅgāṅgasaṃvāha-strānācchādanabhojanaiḥ

Translation

แม้เขาจะป่วยหนัก ภรรยาก็ยังบูชาสามีดุจเทพ—นวดเท้า คลึงกาย อาบน้ำให้ สวมอาภรณ์ให้ และป้อนอาหารให้

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तथा: thus/so
• तथा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• व्याधितम्: afflicted/sick
• व्याधितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्याधित (प्रातिपदिक; व्याधि + त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• भार्या: the wife
• भार्या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पतिम्: (her) husband
• पतिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• देवम्: a god
• देवम्: Upamana (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; उपमान (object of comparison)

• इव: as if/like
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक निपात (comparative particle)

• अर्च्चयत्: worshipped/honoured
• अर्च्चयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पादाभ्यङ्ग: with foot-massage
• पादाभ्यङ्ग: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद + अभ्यङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन (समस्तपदस्य समाहारः साधनरूपेण); साधन/करण

• अङ्गसंवाह: with body-rubbing/massage
• अङ्गसंवाह: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग + संवाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; साधन/करण

• स्नान: with bathing
• स्नान: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; साधन/करण

• आच्छादन: with covering/clothing
• आच्छादन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आच्छादन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; साधन/करण

• भोजनैः: with food/feeding
• भोजनैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; साधन/करण

Speakers

• Son → Father (narration continues)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Gṛhastha ethics
• Marital duty and care
• Reverence expressed through service

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma is shown as practical compassion: the wife’s ‘worship’ is not ritual alone but embodied caregiving—presented as a high standard of fidelity and responsibility within gṛhastha life.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Didactic ākhyāna used for dharma-upadeśa; not directly sarga/pratisarga/manvantara.

What is the esoteric significance?

Treating the spouse ‘as a deity’ indicates seeing the divine in one’s immediate duty-field (adhikāra-kṣetra); service becomes a form of yoga (karma-yoga-like discipline) even amid impurity and hardship.