Shloka 16

Śibi’s Weighing of Dharma

The Hawk and the Dove Trial) — शिबेर्धर्मतुला (श्येन-कपोतोक्तिः

Devanagari script

यजन्ते याजका: सम्यक्‌ परिवारं शुभार्थिन: । अन्रोपस्पृश्य सरसि श्रद्दधानो जितेन्द्रिय:

Transliteration

yajante yājakāḥ samyak parivāraṃ śubhārthinaḥ | anropaspṛśya sarasi śraddadhāno jitendriyaḥ ||

Translation

قال لوماشا: «ابتغاءً للثمرات المباركة، يُقيم الكهنةُ القائمون على الشعيرة القربانَ على الوجه الصحيح، ومعهم تمامُ الأعوان واللوازم. فإذا اغتسل المؤمنُ في البحيرة ولمس الماء على وفق السنن، وهو ضابطٌ لحواسّه، مضى في أداء الطقس.»

Word by Word

यजन्तेthey sacrifice/worship

याजकाःpriests/sacrificers

सम्यक्properly, duly

परिवारम्retinue, attendants, household

शुभार्थिनःseeking auspiciousness/benefit

अन्रोपस्पृश्यwithout touching (others); not contacting

सरसिin a lake/pond

श्रद्दधानःfaithful, trusting

जितेन्द्रियःhaving conquered the senses, self-controlled

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

Lośa (speaker)

yājakāḥ (priests/officiants)

sarasi (a lake/pond)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ritual action bears fruit when performed correctly (samyak), with faith (śraddhā) and self-restraint (jitendriya). External purity (bathing/touching water) is paired with inner discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Lośa describes the proper conduct of sacrificial performance: priests carry out the yajña with its full accompaniment, and the participant prepares through water-purification at a lake, acting with faith and controlled senses.