Shloka 7

Adhyaya 29 — Alarka’s Inquiry and Madalasa’s Teaching on Householder Dharma (Gārhasthya), Vaiśvadeva, and Atithi Hospitality

Sanskrit

ऋक्पृष्ठासौ यजुर्मध्या सामवक्त्रशिरोधरा ।

इष्टापूर्तविषाणा च साधुसूक्ततनूरुहा ॥

Transliteration

ṛkpṛṣṭhāsau yajurmadhyā sāmavaktraśirodharā | iṣṭāpūrtaviṣāṇā ca sādhusūktatanūruhā ||

Translation

她的背为《梨俱吠陀》，她的中段为《夜柔吠陀》，而她的面、首与颈为《娑摩吠陀》；她的双角是“iṣṭa”与“pūrta”，她身上的毛发由善者的嘉言（sādhusūktas）所成。

Word by Word

• ṛk-pṛṣṭhā: having Ṛg as her back
• ṛk-pṛṣṭhā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṛc (प्रातिपदिक) + pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('whose back is Ṛk'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• asau: that (she)
• asau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• yajur-madhyā: having Yajur as her middle
• yajur-madhyā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yajus (प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('whose middle is Yajus'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• sāma-vaktra-śiro-dharā: bearing Sāma as her face and head
• sāma-vaktra-śiro-dharā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāman (प्रातिपदिक) + vaktra (प्रातिपदिक) + śiras (प्रातिपदिक) + dharā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (multi-member determinative: 'bearing face and head as Sāman'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• iṣṭā-pūrta-viṣāṇā: having iṣṭa and pūrta as her horns
• iṣṭā-pūrta-viṣāṇā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: iṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrta (प्रातिपदिक) + viṣāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (iṣṭa+pūrta as a pair) with viṣāṇa; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• sādhu-sūkta-tanū-ruhā: whose body-hairs are virtuous hymns
• sādhu-sūkta-tanū-ruhā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sādhu (प्रातिपदिक) + sūkta (प्रातिपदिक) + tanū (प्रातिपदिक) + ruhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (multi-member: 'whose body-hairs are good hymns'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speakers

• Madālasā to Alarka

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "bhakti", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Allegory
• Vedic triad
• Iṣṭa and pūrta
• Merit through ritual and charity
• Ethical speech

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse fuses ritual, charity, and moral speech into one dharmic organism. A complete life-supporting dharma requires (1) Vedic knowledge and practice, (2) public generosity, and (3) truthful/beneficial words.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Didactic symbolism; not one of the five characteristics, but a Purāṇic method of teaching dharma through vivid cosmological imagery.

What is the esoteric significance?

Mapping Vedas onto the cow’s body suggests integrality: hymn (ṛk), ritual action (yajus), and sung devotion (sāman) must function together. Iṣṭa–pūrta as ‘horns’ implies protective power—merit defends and stabilizes life.