Shloka 17

Adhyaya 19 — Kartavirya Arjuna at Dattatreya’s Ashram: Boons, Sovereignty, and Vaishnava Praise

Sanskrit

तथोन्मार्गप्रवृत्तस्य चास्तु सन्मार्गदेशकः ।

सन्तु मेऽतिथयः श्लाघ्या वित्तदाने तथाक्षये ॥

Transliteration

tathonmārgapravṛttasya cāstu sanmārgadeśakaḥ /

santu me 'tithayaḥ ślāghyā vittadāne tathākṣaye

Translation

หากข้าก้าวไปในทางอันผิด ขอให้มีผู้ชี้นำสู่ทางอันถูกต้อง ขอให้แขกของข้าเป็นผู้ควรแก่การสรรเสริญ และขอให้ทรัพย์เพื่อการทานของข้าเป็นอักขยะ ไม่รู้สิ้น

Word by Word

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• उन्मार्ग-प्रवृत्तस्य: of one who has gone astray
• उन्मार्ग-प्रवृत्तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उन्मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवृत्त (कृदन्त, प्रातिपदिकवत्)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (उन्मार्गे प्रवृत्तः) — “of one who has turned to the wrong path”

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• अस्तु: let there be
• अस्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: Imperative/benedictive sense (लोट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• सन्-मार्ग-देशकः: a teacher of the right path
• सन्-मार्ग-देशकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्/सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + देशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (सन्मार्गस्य देशकः)

• सन्तु: let there be
• सन्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: Imperative/benedictive sense (लोट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; enclitic

• अतिथयः: guests
• अतिथयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• श्लाघ्याः: praiseworthy
• श्लाघ्याः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लाघ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; विशेषण of ‘अतिथयः’

• वित्त-दाने: in giving wealth
• वित्त-दाने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (वित्तस्य दानम्) — “in giving wealth”

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• अक्षये: in inexhaustibility / in undiminishing (state)
• अक्षये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; “in (times of) non-decay/inexhaustibility”

Speakers

• Kārtavīrya speaking (to Dattātreya)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Dattātreya
• Kārtavīrya Arjuna

Key Themes

• Self-correction
• Satsanga/wise counsel
• Atithi-dharma
• Dāna (charity)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even a powerful ruler asks for safeguards: moral course-correction, good company, and resources for generosity. Kingship is presented as stewardship requiring humility and continual guidance.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita with dharma-instruction embedded: the narrative uses a king’s boon-request to teach rājadharma and gṛhastha-style virtues (atithi, dāna).

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘sanmārga-deśaka’ functions like the inner conscience or guru-principle; ‘praiseworthy guests’ symbolizes the arrival of dharmic opportunities, and ‘akṣaya dāna’ the ever-renewing merit stream.