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Shloka 50

Karma-yoga Discipline for the Twice-born: Upanayana, Upavīta Conduct, Guru-veneration, and Alms-regimen

पञ्चानां त्रिषु वर्णेषु भूयांसि बलवन्ति च / यत्र स्युः सो ऽत्र मानार्हः शूद्रो ऽपि दशमीं गतः

pañcānāṃ triṣu varṇeṣu bhūyāṃsi balavanti ca / yatra syuḥ so 'tra mānārhaḥ śūdro 'pi daśamīṃ gataḥ

تین اعلیٰ ورنوں میں جس میں ان پانچ اوصاف کی تعداد زیادہ اور قوت بھی زیادہ ہو، وہی وہاں عزت کے لائق ہے؛ اور شودر بھی—اگر دسویں درجے (فضیلت) تک پہنچ جائے—قابلِ احترام ہے۔

पञ्चानाम्of the five
पञ्चानाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootपञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); संख्याशब्द used substantively: 'of the five (honor-grounds)'
त्रिषुin the three
त्रिषु:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
TypeAdjective
Rootत्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural); qualifying 'वर्णेषु'
वर्णेषुin the varṇas (social classes)
वर्णेषु:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
TypeNoun
Rootवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)
भूयांसिgreater, more predominant
भूयांसि:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeAdjective
Rootभूयस् (प्रातिपदिक; comparative)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); तुलनात्मक (comparative)
बलवन्तिstrong, powerful
बलवन्ति:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootबलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); predicate adjective to 'भूयांसि'
and
:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)
यत्रwhere
यत्र:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयत्र (अव्यय)
Formदेशवाचक अव्यय (relative adverb: where)
स्युःmay be, are (in that case)
स्युः:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)
सःhe
सः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)
अत्रhere, in this matter
अत्र:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअत्र (अव्यय)
Formदेशवाचक अव्यय (adverb: here)
मान-अर्हःworthy of honor
मान-अर्हः:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootमान-अर्ह (प्रातिपदिक; मान + अर्ह)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष: मानम् अर्हति = worthy of honor
शूद्रःa Śūdra
शूद्रः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject; in apposition to सः)
TypeNoun
Rootशूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
अपिeven, also
अपि:
Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक/Particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधारण/सम्भावना/अपि-कार (particle: even/also)
दशमीम्the tenth (stage/rank)
दशमीम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootदशमी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); 'दशमीं (अवस्थाम्/पदवीं)' implied
गतःhaving gone/attained
गतः:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative participle)
TypeVerb
Rootगम् (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle, PPP), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; used predicatively with 'सः/शूद्रः'

Traditional purāṇic narrator (instructional dharma discourse within the Kurma Purana’s Purva-bhaga context)

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

V
Varṇāśrama Dharma
Ś
Śūdra

FAQs

Indirectly: it prioritizes inner qualities (guṇa/adhikāra) over mere birth-status, aligning with the Purāṇic view that spiritual worth is grounded in cultivated virtues that support self-knowledge.

No specific technique is named; the verse stresses eligibility through strengthened virtues—an ethical foundation (yama-like discipline) that supports higher sādhana such as Pāśupata-oriented devotion, japa, and contemplation taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

Not explicitly; however, its merit-based dharma framework is consistent with the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis, where devotion and discipline—not sectarian identity—govern spiritual honor and progress.