Shloka 28

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

Sanskrit

चतुर्थस्य स्वरूपं तु श्रूयतामाश्रमस्य मे । यः स्वधर्मोऽस्य धर्मज्ञैः प्रोक्तस्तात ! महात्मभिः ॥

Transliteration

caturthasya svarūpaṃ tu śrūyatām āśramasya me | yaḥ svadharmo 'sya dharmajñaiḥ proktas tāta mahātmabhiḥ ||

Translation

Ngayon, pakinggan mo mula sa akin ang kalikasan ng ikaapat na āśrama—ang sariling tungkulin nito—gaya ng ipinahayag ng mga dakilang-loob na nakaaalam ng dharma, O minamahal.

Word by Word

• चतुर्थस्य: of the fourth
• चतुर्थस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; विशेषण (‘of the fourth’)

• स्वरूपम्: nature/form
• स्वरूपम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: निपातार्थ (Contrast/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विशेष/विरोधार्थक (but/indeed)

• श्रूयताम्: let (it) be heard
• श्रूयताम्: विधेय (Predicate/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive/ātmanepada sense): ‘let it be heard’

• आश्रमस्य: of the āśrama (stage of life)
• आश्रमस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• मे: of me / my
• मे: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (my/of me)

• यः: which
• यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun: ‘which/that’)

• स्वधर्मः: one’s own duty
• स्वधर्मः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘one’s own duty’)

• अस्य: of this (āśrama)
• अस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (of this/of him)

• धर्मज्ञैः: by knowers of dharma
• धर्मज्ञैः: कर्ता (Karta/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘knowers of dharma’)

• प्रोक्तः: declared
• प्रोक्तः: विधेय (Predicate complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वच् (धातु) → उक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘spoken/declared’

• तात: dear one / son
• तात: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; संबोधनपद (address)

• महात्मभिः: by great-souled (sages)
• महात्मभिः: कर्ता (Karta/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘great’ + ‘souls’)

Speakers

• Not specified in input (teacher-to-disciple address implied by ‘tāta’)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Sannyāsa/Bhikṣu
• Svadharma
• Teaching lineage

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Renunciation is not portrayed as whim but as a defined dharma transmitted by authoritative tradition (dharmajña mahātman), implying disciplined entry and accountability.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Didactic dharma passage; an instructional layer typical of Purāṇas alongside cosmology and genealogies.

What is the esoteric significance?

Calling it ‘svarūpa’ hints that the fourth stage is about identity: realizing the self’s essential nature beyond social designation.