Shloka 6

Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच तयो: संवदतोरेवं पार्थगांगेययोस्तदा । आजगाम विशुद्धात्मा नाकपृष्ठाद्‌ बृहस्पति:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | tayoḥ saṃvadator evaṃ pārthagāṅgeyayos tadā | ājagāma viśuddhātmā nākapṛṣṭhād bṛhaspatiḥ ||

Translation

قال فايشَمبايانا: «وبينما كان بارثا (يودهيشثيرا) وبيشما المولود من الغانغا يتحادثان على هذا النحو، أقبل بْرِهَسْبَتِي (Bṛhaspati)—طاهرَ الروح—إليهما من علياء السماء.»

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaishampayana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular

• तयोः: of the two
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Dual

• संवदतोः: while the two were conversing
• Type: Verb
• Root: संवद्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Genitive, Dual

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

• पार्थगांगेययोः: of Partha and Gangeya (Yudhisthira and Bhishma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थगांगेय
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Dual

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• आजगाम: came/arrived
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular

• विशुद्धात्मा: one whose inner self is pure
• विशुद्धात्मा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशुद्धात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नाकपृष्ठात्: from the surface of heaven (svarga)
• नाकपृष्ठात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाकपृष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• बृहस्पतिः: Brihaspati
• बृहस्पतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहस्पति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira (Pārtha)
• Bhīṣma (Gāṅgeya)
• Bṛhaspati
• Heaven (Nāka/Svarga)
• Gaṅgā

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse signals that sincere inquiry into dharma—here, the dialogue between Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīṣma—draws and deserves higher, authoritative guidance. Bṛhaspati’s arrival underscores the sanctity and seriousness of ethical deliberation.

What is happening in the narrative?

As Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīṣma continue their conversation, Bṛhaspati, the divine preceptor, comes from heaven to the scene, indicating an impending intervention or reinforcement of the dharma-instruction being given.