Shloka 45

कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः

Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma

Devanagari script

लोभमोहपरीताश्च मिथ्याधर्मध्वजावृता: । भिक्षार्थ पृथिवीपाल चज्चूर्यन्ते द्विजैर्दिश:,राजन! वे ब्राह्मण लोभ और मोहमें फँसकर झूठे धर्मका ढोंग रचनेवाले होंगे, इतना ही नहीं, वे भिक्षाके लिये सारी दिशाओंके लोगोंको पीड़ित करते रहेंगे

Transliteration

lobhamohaparītāś ca mithyādharmadhvajāvṛtāḥ | bhikṣārthaṃ pṛthivīpāla ca cūryante dvijair diśaḥ ||

Translation

قال فايشامبايانا: «أيها الملك، إنّ البراهمة إذا غلب عليهم الطمعُ والوهمُ وتدثّروا برايةِ الدِّين الكاذب، فلن يقتصروا على سؤال الصدقة؛ بل باسم طلب الصدقة سيُضايقون الناس ويقهرونهم في كل جهة».

Word by Word

लोभby greed

मोहby delusion

परीताःsurrounded/overcome

चand

मिथ्याfalsely

धर्मof dharma/religion

ध्वजwith a banner/flag (as a sign)

आवृताःcovered/cloaked

भिक्षाalms

अर्थम्for the sake (of)

पृथिवीपालO protector of the earth (king)

चand

चूर्यन्तेare pained/harassed (lit. are robbed/plundered)

द्विजैःby the twice-born (brahmins)

दिशःthe directions/regions (people in all quarters)

राजन्O king

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

rājan (the king addressed)

dvija (brahmins)

diśaḥ (the directions/regions)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse condemns religious hypocrisy: when greed and delusion dominate, people may display the outward symbols of dharma while violating its essence, even harming society under a pious pretext. True dharma is measured by conduct and compassion, not by external appearance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses a king and describes a troubling social condition: brahmins, instead of embodying restraint and integrity, will be driven by greed and delusion, adopting the guise of righteousness and troubling people in all regions while seeking alms.