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Shloka 38

Vidyā–Avidyā and the Twenty-Fifth Principle

Sāṃkhya–Yoga Clarification

सर्वात्मनानुकुर्वीत गृहस्थ: कर्मनिश्चयम्‌ । दाक्ष्येण हव्यकव्यार्थ स्वधर्मे विचरन्‌ नृप

sarvātmanānukurvīta gṛhasthaḥ karmaniścayam | dākṣyeṇa havyakavyārtha svadharme vicaran nṛpa naraśvara |

Parāśara nói: “Muôn tâu Đại vương, bậc chúa tể loài người, người gia chủ phải đem trọn tâm lực mà quyết chí nơi bổn phận của mình. Trong khuôn khổ tự pháp (svadharma), hãy khéo léo cử hành các nghi lễ dành cho chư thiên và tổ tiên—như tế tự và lễ śrāddha—để đời sống được vững vàng, có trách nhiệm và lợi ích cho trật tự thiêng liêng.”

सर्वात्मनाwith the whole self; wholly
सर्वात्मना:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootसर्वात्मन्
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
अनुकुर्वीतshould perform; should carry out
अनुकुर्वीत:
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (अनु + कृ)
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
गृहस्थःthe householder
गृहस्थः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootगृहस्थ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
कर्मनिश्चयम्the determination regarding duties/acts
कर्मनिश्चयम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मनिश्चय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
दाक्ष्येणwith skill; competently
दाक्ष्येण:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootदाक्ष्य
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
हव्यकव्यार्थम्for the purpose of offerings to gods and ancestors (havyas and kavyas)
हव्यकव्यार्थम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootहव्यकव्यार्थ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
स्वधर्मेin/within one’s own duty (proper dharma)
स्वधर्मे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootस्वधर्म
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
विचरन्acting; conducting oneself; moving about (in practice)
विचरन्:
TypeVerb
Rootचर् (वि + चर्)
FormPresent active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
नृपO king
नृप:
TypeNoun
Rootनृप
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
नरेश्वरO lord of men
नरेश्वर:
TypeNoun
Rootनरेश्वर
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular

पराशर उवाच

P
Parāśara
N
nṛpa (the king addressed)
G
gṛhastha (householder)
H
havya (offerings to gods)
K
kavya (offerings to ancestors)

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches that a householder must wholeheartedly commit to his prescribed duties and perform them with competence—especially the obligations toward gods (yajña/havya) and ancestors (śrāddha/kavya)—as an essential expression of svadharma.

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, the sage Parāśara addresses a king, advising him on the proper conduct of the householder stage: firm resolve in duty and skillful performance of sacrificial and ancestral rites.