Shloka 29

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

Sanskrit

शोभनाशोभनाकाराṃ तं मन्येत प्रजापतिम् ।

अनित्यं हि स्थितो यस्मात् तस्मादतिथिरुच्यते ॥

Transliteration

śobhanāśobhanākāraṃ taṃ manyeta prajāpatim / anityaṃ hi sthito yasmāt tasmād atithir ucyate

Translation

Người ta nên xem vị khách—dù dung mạo dễ mến hay khó ưa—như chính Prajāpati. Vì sự lưu trú của khách không thường hằng, nên gọi là “atithi”, tức người đến không có ngày hẹn định.

Word by Word

• śobhana-aśobhana-ākāram: having auspicious and inauspicious forms
• śobhana-aśobhana-ākāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śobhana (प्रातिपदिक) + aśobhana (प्रातिपदिक) + ākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; compound used adjectivally qualifying prajāpatim

• tam: him/that one
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; pronoun

• manyeta: should consider
• manyeta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: man (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• prajāpatim: the Lord of creatures (Prajāpati)
• prajāpatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajāpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa: prajāyāḥ patiḥ

• anityam: impermanent
• anityam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; used predicatively with sthitaḥ

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) expressing emphasis/indeed

• sthitaḥ: is situated/abides
• sthitaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; used as predicate/adjectival participle

• yasmāt: because/from which
• yasmāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; relative pronoun

• tasmāt: therefore/from that
• tasmāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; correlative pronoun

• atithiḥ: guest
• atithiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atithi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ucyate: is called
• ucyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Passive (कर्मणि), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• Dharma-instruction voice within the Markandeya Purana’s didactic section (householder duties)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Prajāpati

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Gṛhastha-dharma
• Atithi-satkāra (hospitality)
• Ethics

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Hospitality is not contingent on external traits. The guest embodies a divine principle (Prajāpati), so honoring an atithi becomes a direct act of dharma rather than social preference.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily ‘Vamśānucarita/Dharma’ material rather than cosmological pancalakṣaṇa; it functions as smṛti-like ethical instruction embedded in the Purāṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘impermanent guest’ symbolizes the transient nature of worldly encounters; responding with reverence trains non-reactivity and sanctifies daily life as yajña.