Shloka 23

Adhyaya 29 — Alarka’s Inquiry and Madalasa’s Teaching on Householder Dharma (Gārhasthya), Vaiśvadeva, and Atithi Hospitality

Sanskrit

आप्यायनाय भूतानां कुर्यादुत्सर्गमादरात् ।

श्वभ्यश्च श्वपचेभ्यश्च वयोभ्यश्चावपेद्भुवि ॥

Transliteration

āpyāyanāya bhūtānāṃ kuryād utsargam ādarāt / śvabhyaś ca śvapacebhyaś ca vayobhyaś cāvaped bhuvi

Translation

เพื่อเกื้อหนุนสรรพชีวิต พึงแยกส่วนอย่างระมัดระวังแล้วทำบลี และพึงวางอาหารบนพื้นดินสำหรับสุนัข สำหรับผู้กินเนื้อสุนัข (ผู้ถูกกีดกัน) และสำหรับนกทั้งหลายด้วย

Word by Word

• आप्यायनाय: for nourishment/satiation
• आप्यायनाय: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/अर्थे चतुर्थी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आप्यायन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative/purpose/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• भूतानाम्: of beings
• भूतानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• उत्सर्गम्: a letting-go/distribution (of food)
• उत्सर्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• आदरात्: out of respect/with care
• आदरात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative/हेतु), एकवचन

• श्वभ्यः: to dogs
• श्वभ्यः: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative/सम्प्रदान), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• श्वपचेभ्यः: to dog-cookers/outcastes
• श्वपचेभ्यः: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वपच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative/सम्प्रदान), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (श्वन् + पच = 'dog-cooker', i.e., outcaste)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• वयःभ्यः: to birds
• वयःभ्यः: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative/सम्प्रदान), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अवपेत्: should scatter/sow (food)
• अवपेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-वप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भुवि: on the ground
• भुवि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक: भुव्/भूमि-पर्याय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

Speakers

• Not in Devi Māhātmyam; dharma-teaching context.

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Compassion
• Social ethics
• Bhūta-dayā (kindness to beings)
• Vaiśvadeva

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

A key householder duty is bhūta-dayā—practical compassion. Feeding animals and even socially marginalized persons is treated as part of daily dharma, not an optional charity.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ethical/ritual dharma instruction (ācāra) embedded in the Purāṇa; it complements the Purāṇic aim of shaping right living alongside cosmological narration.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Utsarga’ is a ritualized relinquishment: the ego’s claim over food is loosened daily, converting consumption into offering and aligning the household with non-violence and reciprocity.