Shloka 52

योग–सांख्यसमन्वयः, रथोपमा, व्यक्त–अव्यक्तविवेकः

Yoga–Sāṃkhya Synthesis, Chariot Allegory, and the Vyakta–Avyakta Distinction

Devanagari script

युवानश्न समासीना वृद्धानपि गतान्‌ सतः । नाभ्युत्थानाभिवादाभ्यां यथापूर्वमपूजयन्‌

Transliteration

yuvānaś ca samāsīnā vṛddhān api gatān sataḥ | nābhyutthānābhivādābhyāṁ yathāpūrvam apūjayan ||

Translation

Bọn A-tu-la trẻ tuổi ngồi trên chỗ cao; dù các bậc trưởng thượng và người hiền đức đến, chúng cũng không đứng dậy đón, không chắp tay kính lễ như trước nữa.

Word by Word

• युवानः: young men
• युवानः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युवन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अश्नन्: eating
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada, present active participle used predicatively (शतृ-प्रत्यय), agreeing with युवानः

• समासीनाः: seated
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समासीन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, past participle (क्त) from सम्-आस्

• वृद्धान्: the elders
• वृद्धान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• गतान्: who have come/arrived
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural, past participle (क्त) from गम्

• सतः: good/respectable (persons)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural, used adjectivally: 'good, respectable' (acc. pl. satān expected; epic usage/orthography varies)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अभ्युत्थान: by rising (standing up)
• अभ्युत्थान: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्युत्थान
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular, in compound instrumental with -आभ्याम

• अभिवाद: by salutation/greeting
• अभिवाद: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिवाद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular, in compound instrumental with -आभ्याम

• आभ्याम्: by the two (means)
• आभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्वि (instrumental dual ending)
• Form: Instrumental, Dual, instrumental dual ending governing the dvandva pair: अभ्युत्थान- and अभिवाद-

• यथा: as/according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• पूर्वम्: formerly/before
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व
• Form: adverbial accusative

• अपुजयन्: they did not honor/respect
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज्
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

Speaker

शक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• youths (young men)
• elders/seniors (vṛddhāḥ)
• the virtuous/good (santaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse upholds sadācāra as a pillar of dharma: honoring elders and the virtuous through concrete acts—rising to receive them (abhyutthāna) and offering salutations (abhivāda). Neglecting these signals ethical deterioration and weakening of social and spiritual discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śakra (Indra) points to a visible symptom of declining conduct: youths remain seated and fail to greet or salute when elders and good people arrive, contrasting present behavior with the earlier, proper custom (“as before”).