Shloka 2

Adhyaya 28 — Alarka Inquires into Varna and Ashrama Dharma; Madalasa Defines the Fourfold Duties

Sanskrit

अलर्क उवाच कथितोऽयं महाभागे ! राज्यतन्त्राश्रितस्त्वया ।

धर्मं तमहमिच्छामि श्रोतुं वर्णाश्रमात्मकम् ॥

Transliteration

alarka uvāca kathito 'yaṃ mahābhāge! rājyatantrāśritas tvayā / dharmaṃ tam aham icchāmi śrotuṃ varṇāśramātmakam

Translation

อาลรกะกล่าวว่า—ข้าแต่สตรีผู้ประเสริฐ ท่านได้อธิบายธรรมนี้ในบริบทแห่งราชธรรมแล้ว ข้าพเจ้าปรารถนาจะฟังธรรมที่เกี่ยวกับวรรณะและอาศรม.

Word by Word

• अलर्कः: Alarka
• अलर्कः: कर्ता (Karta/Speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कथितः: told; explained
• कथितः: कर्मणि-भाव (Predicate; ‘has been told’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: कर्ता/विषय (Subject/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महाभागे: O fortunate lady
• महाभागे: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; समास: महा + भाग (कर्मधारय)

• राज्यतन्त्राश्रितः: based on statecraft; resting on polity
• राज्यतन्त्राश्रितः: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘अयम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राज्यतन्त्र + आश्रित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समास: राज्यतन्त्रं आश्रितः (द्वितीया-तत्पुरुष)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: कर्ता (Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• धर्मम्: dharma
• धर्मम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तम्: that
• तम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इच्छामि: wish; desire
• इच्छामि: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Infinitive), ‘to hear’

• वर्णाश्रमात्मकम्: consisting of varṇa and āśrama
• वर्णाश्रमात्मकम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘धर्मम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ण + आश्रम + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: वर्णाश्रमयोः आत्मा/स्वरूपं यस्य (सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुष)

Speakers

• Alarka to Madālasā

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Varṇāśrama
• Pedagogy
• Rājadharma to social dharma transition

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Ethics is multi-layered: beyond political duty lies a comprehensive order of responsibilities by aptitude and life-stage; the student requests a systematic map.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Didactic dharma inquiry; not a pancalakṣaṇa element, but a common purāṇic function—teaching conduct through dialogue.

What is the esoteric significance?

The request signals maturation: moving from external governance (rājya) to the inner and social architecture (varṇāśrama) that sustains harmony.