Shloka 84

Adhyaya 50 — The Pitris

Sanskrit

यस्मिन् गृहे नराः पञ्च स्त्रीत्रयं तावतिश्च गाः ।

अन्धकारेन्धनाग्निश्च तद्गृहं वसतिस्तव ॥

Transliteration

yasmin gṛhe narāḥ pañca strī-trayaṃ tāvatīś ca gāḥ | andhakāra-indhanāgniś ca tad-gṛhaṃ vasatis tava ||

Translation

เรือนใดมีบุรุษห้าคน สตรีสามคน และโคเท่าจำนวนนั้น อีกทั้งมีความมืด เชื้อเพลิง และไฟอยู่—เรือนนั้นแลเป็นที่พำนักของเจ้า.

Word by Word

• यस्मिन्: in which
• यस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-निर्देशक relative pronoun (locative)

• गृहे: in the house
• गृहे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• नराः: men
• नराः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; विशेषणम् (numeral adjective) — नराः इति पदस्य संख्या

• स्त्री-त्रयम्: a group of three women
• स्त्री-त्रयम्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (numeral compound)

• तावतिः: as many (same number)
• तावतिः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘so many/as many’ (quantifier)

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

• गाः: cows
• गाः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• अन्धकार-इन्धन-अग्निः: darkness, fuel, and fire
• अन्धकार-इन्धन-अग्निः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्धकार (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्धन (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (copulative) समास

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

• तत्-गृहम्: that house
• तत्-गृहम्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘that’ + house = that house)

• वसतिः: dwelling, abode
• वसतिः: प्रधाना-विशेष्य (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• तव: of you/your
• तव: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; possessive genitive

Speakers

• Didactic voice addressing a Yakṣa/inauspicious presence

Shakti Aspects

• Alakṣmī implied

Key Themes

• Nimitta (omens)
• Household disorder
• Poverty/overcrowding imagery (contextual)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse reads like an omen-catalog: certain configurations (numbers, darkness, rough living conditions) are treated as signs of inauspicious habitation. It reflects a traditional worldview linking visible domestic conditions with unseen fortune.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary instruction; not part of the five hallmark topics.

What is the esoteric significance?

Darkness is a direct emblem of tamas; ‘fuel and fire’ without the balancing markers of purity and light can signify uncontrolled consumption—an inner pattern that attracts misfortune.