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Shloka 2

Varṇāśrama-ācāra, Aśauca (Sūtaka) Regulations, and Prāyaścitta with Funeral-Rite Notes

Devanagari script

श्रुतिः स्मृतिः सदाचरो यः कश्चिद्वे दकर्तृकः / वेदाः स्मृता ब्राह्मणादौ धर्मा मन्वादिभिः सदा

Transliteration

śrutiḥ smṛtiḥ sadācaro yaḥ kaścidve dakartṛkaḥ / vedāḥ smṛtā brāhmaṇādau dharmā manvādibhiḥ sadā

Translation

圣启（Śruti）、传承（Smṛti）与贤善之人的正行——凡以吠陀为根基者——皆应奉为权威。故吠陀及所忆持之传统，自《婆罗门书》等起，历来由摩奴及诸法典制定者宣说为达摩。

Word by Word
श्रुतिःŚruti (revealed scripture)
श्रुतिः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootश्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन
स्मृतिःSmṛti (remembered tradition)
स्मृतिः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootस्मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
सदाचारःgood conduct
सदाचारः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसद् + आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सद्-आचारः = good conduct)
यःwho/which
यः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)
कश्चित्someone/any
कश्चित्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)
वेदकर्तृकःVeda-based
वेदकर्तृकः:
Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootवेद (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्तृक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वेदः कर्ता यस्य/वेदेन कर्तृकः = based on the Veda)
वेदाःthe Vedas
वेदाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootवेद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
स्मृताःare remembered/are called
स्मृताः:
Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootस्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)
ब्राह्मणादौin/among (the classes) beginning with brāhmaṇa
ब्राह्मणादौ:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootब्राह्मण + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ब्राह्मण-आदि = beginning with brāhmaṇa)
धर्माःduties/laws
धर्माः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
मन्वादिभिःby Manu and others
मन्वादिभिः:
Karana (Instrument/Agent-in-passive/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootमनु + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मनु-आदि = Manu and others)
सदाalways
सदा:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसदा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pramāṇa for dharma: Śruti, Smṛti, and Sadācāra, all Veda-grounded, as authoritative; Manu and other lawgivers as transmitters.

Vedantic Theme: Śāstra-prāmāṇya (scriptural authority) and dharma as a Veda-rooted order sustaining loka-saṅgraha.

Application: When uncertain about right conduct, consult Śruti/Smṛti and the established conduct of the virtuous; prefer Veda-consistent norms over personal preference.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Dharma-kāṇḍa sections on sadācāra and varṇāśrama duties)

Characters & Entities
V
Veda
Ś
Śruti
S
Smṛti
S
Sadācāra
B
Brāhmaṇas
M
Manu

FAQs

This verse states that dharma is validated through Śruti (Veda), Smṛti (tradition), and the established good conduct of the righteous—provided it is Veda-based—making them the core standards for deciding right practice.

Indirectly, it sets the rulebook: the after-death teachings and duties (rites, ethics, restraints) are to be followed as dharma only when aligned with Vedic revelation and its tradition, ensuring the soul’s journey is guided by legitimate authority.

Use Veda-consistent scripture, ethical tradition, and the example of genuinely virtuous people as filters for deciding religious practice—especially for rituals and life-conduct claimed to be “dharma.”

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