Shloka 31

Adhyaya 28 — Alarka Inquires into Varna and Ashrama Dharma; Madalasa Defines the Fourfold Duties

Sanskrit

चतुर्थे त्वाश्रमे धर्मो मयायं ते निवेदितः । सामान्यं अन्यवर्णानामाश्रमाणाञ्च मे शृणु ॥

Transliteration

caturthe tv āśrame dharmo mayāyaṃ te niveditaḥ | sāmānyam anyavarṇānām āśramāṇāṃ ca me śṛṇu ||

Translation

如是，我已为你阐明第四住期（第四 āśrama）之法。现在当从我听闻：诸种姓（varṇa）与诸住期（āśrama）所共同遵行的通则之责。

Word by Word

• caturthe: in the fourth
• caturthe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/सप्तमी), Ekavacana; ordinal adjective qualifying āśrame

• tu: but; indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, avadhāraṇa/virodha particle (emphasis/contrast)

• āśrame: in the āśrama (stage of life)
• āśrame: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana

• dharmaḥ: duty; dharma
• dharmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (Pronoun/सर्वनाम), Tṛtīyā (Instrumental), Ekavacana

• ayam: this
• ayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/demonstrative to dharmaḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Caturthī vibhakti (Dative/चतुर्थी), Ekavacana

• niveditaḥ: has been declared/presented
• niveditaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√vid (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kṛdanta past passive participle (क्त/PPP); Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with dharmaḥ; passive sense 'has been presented'

• sāmānyam: common (duty); general rule
• sāmānyam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāmānya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā (or Dvitīyā) vibhakti, Ekavacana; here as object/complement 'the general (dharma)'

• anya-varṇānām: of other varṇas
• anya-varṇānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/षष्ठी), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन); Tatpuruṣa: anye varṇāḥ (other castes/classes)

• āśramāṇām: of (other) āśramas
• āśramāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive) or Pañcamī (Ablative) Ekavacana; here genitive 'of me'

• śṛṇu: hear; listen
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (क्रिया/imperative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ lakāra (Imperative/लोट्), Madhyama puruṣa (2nd person/मध्यम), Ekavacana

Speakers

• Not specified in input

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Varṇāśrama framework
• General virtues

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

After specifying stage-specific rules, the text emphasizes universal virtues—suggesting that dharma is both contextual (role-based) and universal (character-based).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ethics and social order instruction; supportive material around the Purāṇic core topics.

What is the esoteric significance?

The move from ‘special duties’ to ‘common duties’ mirrors spiritual maturation: from external prescriptions to stable inner qualities.