Shloka 39

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

Sanskrit

कुटुम्बिना भोजनीयः समर्थे विभवे सति । श्रीमन्तं ज्ञातिमासाद्य यो ज्ञातिरवसीदति ॥

Transliteration

kuṭumbinā bhojanīyaḥ samarthe vibhave sati | śrīmantaṃ jñātim āsādya yo jñātir avasīdati ||

Translation

Kapag may kakayahan at sapat na kabuhayan, ang maybahay ay nararapat maglaan ng pagkain. Kung ang isang kamag-anak, matapos lumapit sa masaganang kaanak, ay nananatiling naghihirap dahil sa kakulangan o pagpapabaya, iyon ay kapintasan na dapat sisihin.

Word by Word

• कुटुम्बिना: by the householder
• कुटुम्बिना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुटुम्बिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; agent-instrument sense “by/with the householder”

• भोजनीयः: (he) should be fed
• भोजनीयः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भोजनीय (कृदन्त; √भुज् (धातु) + अनीय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थक-योग्यता “fit to be fed/should be fed” (gerundive)

• समर्थे: when capable
• समर्थे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; “in/when (one is) capable”

• विभवे: in (one’s) means/wealth
• विभवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; “in wealth/resources”

• सति: being/when (it) exists
• सति: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस् (धातु) → सत् (कृदन्त; वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: सप्तमी, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute) with समर्थे विभवे: “when there is/being”

• श्रीमन्तम्: prosperous
• श्रीमन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; qualifies ज्ञातिम्

• ज्ञातिम्: a kinsman/relative
• ज्ञातिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; object of āsādya

• आसाद्य: having approached
• आसाद्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-√सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): “having approached/after reaching”

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; relative pronoun

• ज्ञातिः: a kinsman
• ज्ञातिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; subject of avasīdati

• अवसीदति: falls into distress/declines
• अवसीदति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√सद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speakers

• Madālasa instructing her son (putraka) within the teaching narrative

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Gṛhastha-dharma
• Hospitality
• Social ethics
• Charity (dāna)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Prosperity is ethically bound to responsibility. A householder’s dharma includes sustaining dependents and distressed kin; wealth without support of others becomes a moral failure.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

This passage is primarily Ācāra/Dharma-śikṣā (conduct instruction) rather than the five purāṇic marks (sarga, pratisarga, vaṃśa, manvantara, vaṃśānucarita). It is an embedded didactic section within the purāṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘householder’ symbolizes the embodied self managing resources (prāṇa/artha). Feeding others signifies circulating life-energy through right action; withholding it leads to inner ‘decline’ (avasāda) and demerit.