Shloka 51

Adhyaya 49 — Primordial Human Creation, the Rise of Desire, and the Origins of Settlements, Measures, and Agriculture

Sanskrit

त एवṃ नगरादीṃस्तु कृत्वा वासार्थमात्मनः ।

निकेतनानि द्वन्द्वानां चक्रुरावसथाय वै ॥

Transliteration

ta evaṃ nagarādīṃs tu kṛtvā vāsārtham ātmanaḥ / niketanāni dvandvānāṃ cakrur āvasathāya vai

Translation

Vì thế, sau khi lập nên các thành thị và những khu định cư khác để làm chỗ ở cho mình, họ dựng nhà cửa—những nơi che chở khỏi các cặp đối đãi (như nóng và lạnh, v.v.)—quả thật để cư trú.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुवचन, प्रथमा, पुंलिङ्ग; सर्वनाम

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'thus')

• नगर-आदीन्: cities and the like
• नगर-आदीन्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nagara (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुवचन, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), पुंलिङ्ग; 'cities and the like'

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (contrast/continuation)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): 'having made/done'

• वास-अर्थम्: for residence
• वास-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, द्वितीया, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रयोजनार्थक (purpose accusative): 'for the sake of dwelling'

• आत्मनः: for themselves, of self
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), पुंलिङ्ग

• निकेतनानि: dwellings, abodes
• निकेतनानि: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niketana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुवचन, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• द्वन्द्वानाम्: of groups/pairs
• द्वन्द्वानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvandva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुवचन, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; 'of pairs/groups' (contextual)

• चक्रुः: they made
• चक्रुः: Kriyā (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• आवसथाय: for lodging, for a resting-place
• आवसथाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/dative purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āvasatha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), पुंलिङ्ग; प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदान

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis)

Speakers

• Narratorial description

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Human adaptation
• Material culture
• Dvanda (pairs of opposites)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Civilization is framed as a response to suffering and environmental pressures (dvandva); shelter is a dharmic instrument to sustain life and duty, not merely luxury.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Supports ‘pratisarga’-like cultural reconstitution themes (rebuilding after decline), though presented as social narration rather than a formal cosmological account.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Dvandva’ points to the human condition; constructing ‘niketana’ is an outer analogue of building inner steadiness (sthiti) amid mental opposites.