Shloka 43

Aśmagīta: Janaka’s Inquiry on Loss, Kāla, and the Limits of Control (अश्मगीता)

Devanagari script

कुर्वीत पितृदैवत्यं धर्माणि च समाचरेत्‌ । यजेच्च विद्वान्‌ विधिवत त्रिवर्ग चाप्युपाचरेत्‌

Transliteration

kurvīta pitṛdaivatyaṁ dharmāṇi ca samācaret | yajec ca vidvān vidhivat trivargaṁ cāpy upācaret ||

Translation

阇那迦说道：“智者当行奉祖先之祭与奉诸天之祀；当修习正法之行，依仪轨而献祭；亦当以节制与正当之道，追求人生三义——法（dharma）、利（artha）、欲（kāma）。”

Word by Word

• कुर्वीत: should do / should perform
• कुर्वीत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Optative (injunctive sense), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पितृदैवत्यं: rite/act having the Pitṛs as the deity (śrāddha-type act)
• पितृदैवत्यं: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृदैवत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धर्माणि: duties / righteous acts
• धर्माणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• समाचरेत्: should practice / should observe
• समाचरेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + चर् (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Optative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यजेत्: should worship / should sacrifice
• यजेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Optative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• विद्वान्: a learned man
• विद्वान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विधिवत्: according to rule / duly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत्

• त्रिवर्गम्: the three aims (dharma-artha-kāma)
• त्रिवर्गम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिवर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• उपाचरेत्: should pursue / should cultivate / should practice
• उपाचरेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + आ + चर् (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Optative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

जनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Janaka
• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Devas (gods)
• yajña (sacrifice)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches a balanced, rule-governed life: honor ancestors and gods through prescribed rites, practice dharma in conduct, and pursue artha and kāma only within the boundaries set by dharma (the trivarga pursued in harmony).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous living, King Janaka speaks as a moral teacher, advising how a wise person—especially in worldly life—should combine ritual obligations (to Pitṛs and Devas) with ethical conduct and the measured pursuit of life’s goals.