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Shloka 57

Rudra-Śiva: Names, Two Natures, and the Logic of Epithets (रुद्रनाम-बहुरूपत्व-प्रकरणम्)

सर्वातिथ्यं त्रिवर्गस्य यथाशक्ति यथा्हत: । व्यापार करनेवाले सदाचारी वैश्यको तिल, चन्दन और रसकी विक्री नहीं करनी चाहिये तथा ब्राह्मण, क्षत्रिय और वैश्य--इस त्रिवर्गकका सब प्रकारसे यथाशक्ति यथायोग्य आतिथ्यसत्कार करना चाहिये ।।

sarvātithyaṁ trivargasya yathāśakti yathārhataḥ | śūdradharmaḥ paro nityaṁ śuśrūṣā ca dvijātiṣu |

Śrī Maheśvara nói: “Hãy thực hành lòng hiếu khách bằng mọi cách—tùy theo khả năng và tùy theo điều hợp lẽ—đối với ba giai tầng cao. Với Śūdra, bổn phận tối thượng và thường hằng là phụng sự và tận tâm hầu cận những người ‘hai lần sinh’ (dvija). Một Śūdra chân thật, tự chế, và chuyên cần phục vụ khách đến nhà sẽ tích lũy công đức lớn; đối với người ấy, chính dharma của sự phục vụ trở thành một khổ hạnh nghiêm khắc.”

सर्वातिथ्यम्hospitality to all guests
सर्वातिथ्यम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसर्वातिथ्य
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
त्रिवर्गस्यof the three classes (varṇas)
त्रिवर्गस्य:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootत्रिवर्ग
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
यथाas, according to
यथा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
शक्तिability, capacity
शक्ति:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootशक्ति
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
यथाas, in the manner
यथा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
अर्हतःof one deserving (properly)
अर्हतः:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootअर्हत्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
शूद्रधर्मःthe duty of a Śūdra
शूद्रधर्मः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशूद्रधर्म
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
परःsupreme, highest
परः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootपर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
नित्यम्always
नित्यम्:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनित्य
शुश्रूषाservice, attendance
शुश्रूषा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशुश्रूषा
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
द्विजातिषुamong the twice-born (Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya)
द्विजातिषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootद्विजाति
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Ś
Śrī Maheśvara (Mahādeva/Śiva)
B
brāhmaṇa
K
kṣatriya
V
vaiśya
Ś
śūdra
A
atithi (guest)

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches that hospitality should be offered appropriately and within one’s means, and that for a Śūdra the foremost, continual dharma is respectful service to the twice-born; truthful, self-controlled service to guests is itself a form of tapas that yields great merit.

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-focused setting, Śrī Maheśvara delivers a normative teaching on social and ethical duties—highlighting proper hospitality toward the three higher varṇas and defining service as the Śūdra’s principal religious discipline.