Shloka 29

Teaching of Karma-yoga

Student Conduct, Vedic Study, and Gāyatrī Supremacy

Devanagari script

बालः संमानयेन्मान्याञ्छिष्टो वा यदि कर्म्मणि । अध्यापयन्गुरोः सूनुं गुरुवन्मानमर्हति

Transliteration

bālaḥ saṃmānayenmānyāñchiṣṭo vā yadi karmmaṇi | adhyāpayanguroḥ sūnuṃ guruvanmānamarhati

Translation

แม้เด็กก็ควรนอบน้อมผู้ควรเคารพ; และหากได้รับการฝึกในความประพฤติอันถูกต้องแล้ว ผู้ที่สอนบุตรของครูย่อมควรได้รับเกียรติประหนึ่งครูเอง

Word by Word

• बालः: a child/boy
• बालः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• संमानयेत्: should honor
• संमानयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + √मान् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative/denominative sense ‘to honor’

• मान्यान्: the respectable persons
• मान्यान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘those worthy of respect’

• शिष्टः: well-instructed/well-behaved
• शिष्टः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिष्ट (कृदन्त; √शास्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘instructed/educated, well-behaved’ (बालः इति विशेषणम्)

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प/Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विकल्प/Disjunction)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Nimitta (निमित्त/Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (शर्त/Conditional particle)

• कर्मणि: in service/work
• कर्मणि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘in action/service’

• अध्यापयन्: teaching
• अध्यापयन्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधि + √इ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/अन्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; causative stem ‘अध्यापय-’ = ‘teaching’; बालः इति विशेषणम्

• गुरोः: of the teacher
• गुरोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सूनुम्: son
• सूनुम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गुरुवत्: like a teacher
• गुरुवत्: Upamana (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गुरु + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय (तुल्यतार्थक ‘-वत्’)

• मानम्: honor/respect
• मानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘honor/respect’

• अर्हति: deserves/is worthy of
• अर्हति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative instruction within Svarga-khaṇḍa; exact speaker not provided in the input)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: संमानयेन्मान्यान् = संमानयेत् + मान्यान्; मान्याञ्छिष्टो = मान्यान् + शिष्टः; अध्यापयन्गुरोः = अध्यापयन् + गुरोः; गुरुवन्मानमर्हति = गुरुवत् + मानम् + अर्हति

Characters & Entities

• Guru

FAQs

What is the central ethical teaching of this verse?

It teaches that respect should be given to the truly worthy, and that proper training in conduct (śiṣṭācāra) makes one fit to recognize and honor such people; specifically, the instructor of the guru’s son should be honored like the guru.

Why is the teacher of the guru’s son honored “like the guru” (guruvat)?

Because the act of educating within the guru’s own lineage is treated as a high responsibility and a direct service to the guru; therefore the instructor is granted comparable esteem.

How does this verse relate to the guru–śiṣya tradition?

It reinforces the hierarchy of reverence in traditional learning: respect for the guru extends to those who uphold and transmit learning connected to the guru’s family and teaching line.