Shloka 22

Cāturāśramya-dharma—Marks of the Four Āśramas (चातुराश्रम्यधर्मः)

Devanagari script

एतान्येवंप्रकाराणि विहितानि पुरानघ । सर्वलोकस्य कर्माणि कर्तव्यानीह पार्थिव

Transliteration

etāny evaṁprakārāṇi vihitāni purānagha | sarvalokasya karmāṇi kartavyānīha pārthiva || niṣpāpa nareśa |

Translation

因陀罗说：“无罪者啊，此等职责——如是诸类——早在久远之前便已制定。在此世间，王者啊，一切众人的行为与义务皆当依之而行。无瑕的人主啊，即便以劫掠为生者，也应当如法遵守这些法度。”

Word by Word

• एतानि: these (things/duties)
• एतानि: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• एवं: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• प्रकाराणि: kinds, modes
• प्रकाराणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकार
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• विहितानि: prescribed, laid down
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-धा (धातु) → विहित (कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• पुरा: formerly, earlier
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

• अनघ: O sinless one
• Type: Noun (Vocative epithet)
• Root: अनघ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सर्वलोकस्य: of all the world/people
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वलोक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• कर्माणि: duties, actions
• कर्माणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• कर्तव्यानि: to be done, obligatory
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तव्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• इह: here (in this world/context)
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• पार्थिव: O king
• Type: Noun (Vocative epithet)
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• निष्पाप: O sinless one
• Type: Noun/Adjective (Vocative epithet)
• Root: निष्पाप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• नरेश: O lord of men, O king
• Type: Noun (Vocative)
• Root: नरेश
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

इन्द्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• King (addressed as pārthiva/nareśa)
• All people (sarvaloka)
• Prajāpati Brahmā (implied by the accompanying Hindi gloss)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is not optional or private: the duties appropriate to human life were established long ago and are binding on all. Even those inclined to wrongdoing are urged to conform to the ordained moral order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra addresses a king, reminding him that the framework of prescribed duties for society is ancient and authoritative, and that the ruler should uphold and expect adherence to these duties across all groups.