Shloka 44

Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu

Gṛhastha-Vrata

Devanagari script

एतद्‌ व्रतं मम सदा हृदि सम्परिवर्तते । गृहस्थानां च सुश्रोणि नातिथेर्विद्यते परम्‌

Transliteration

etad vrataṁ mama sadā hṛdi samparivartate | gṛhasthānāṁ ca suśroṇi nātither vidyate param ||

Translation

毗湿摩说：“此誓（vrata）常在我心中回旋不息。美髋的女子啊，对居家之人（gṛhastha）而言，再无高于敬奉与侍奉宾客（atithi）之法。”

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• व्रतम्: vow, observance
• व्रतम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मम: of me, my
• मम: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा
• Form: true

• हृदि: in (the) heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• सम्परिवर्तते: keeps revolving/recurs; remains active
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-परि-वृत्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Atmanepada, 3, Singular

• गृहस्थानाम्: of householders
• गृहस्थानाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: true

• सुश्रोणि: O fair-hipped lady
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुश्रोणि
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न
• Form: true

• अतिथेः: of a guest
• अतिथेः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• विद्यते: exists, is found
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Atmanepada, 3, Singular

• परम्: higher, superior
• परम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• suśroṇī (addressed woman)
• atithi (guest)
• gṛhastha (householder)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

For a householder, the foremost ethical and religious obligation is atithi-sevā—welcoming, honoring, and caring for a guest. Bhīṣma presents this as a personal vow that continually guides his conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma is speaking and addresses a woman respectfully as “suśroṇī,” emphasizing that the duty of hospitality is central to the householder’s way of life.