Shloka 65

Dama-pradhāna-dharma (Self-restraint as the Root of Dharma) — Śānti-parva 154

Devanagari script

जम्बुक उवाच इमं कनकवर्णाभं भूषणै: समलंकृतम्‌ | गृध्रवाक्यात्‌ कथं पुत्र त्यजथध्वं पितृपिण्डदम्‌,सियार बोला--बन्धुओ! देखो तो सही, इस बालकका रंग कैसा सोनेके समान चमक रहा है। आभूषणोंसे भूषित होकर यह कैसी शोभा पाता है। पितरोंको पिण्ड प्रदान करनेवाले अपने इस पुत्रको तुम गीधकी बातोंमें आकर कैसे छोड़ रहे हो?

Transliteration

Jambuka uvāca: imaṁ kanakavarṇābhaṁ bhūṣaṇaiḥ samalaṅkṛtam | gṛdhravākyāt kathaṁ putra tyajathadhvaṁ pitṛpiṇḍadam ||

Translation

জম্বুকে ক’লে—চোৱা, এই বালকৰ বৰ্ণ সোণৰ দৰে দীপ্ত, আৰু অলংকাৰৰে সুশোভিত হৈ কিমান শোভা পাইছে! হে পুত্ৰ, গিধৰ কথাত পৰি পিতৃসকলক পিণ্ড দান কৰিব পৰা এই বালকক তোমালোকে কেনেকৈ ত্যাগ কৰিছা?

Word by Word

• {'jambukaḥ': 'Jambuka (a jackal

• here the speaker’s name)', 'uvāca': 'said', 'imam': 'this (accusative singular)', 'kanaka-varṇa-ābham': 'having the luster/appearance of golden color', 'bhūṣaṇaiḥ': 'with ornaments (instrumental plural)', 'samalaṅkṛtam': 'fully adorned, decorated', 'gṛdhra-vākyāt': 'because of/from the vulture’s words', 'katham': 'how?', 'putra': 'O son (vocative

• address to a younger one)', 'tyajatha-dhvam': 'you (plural) abandon/are abandoning', 'pitṛ': 'ancestors, forefathers', 'piṇḍa': 'funerary rice-ball offering in śrāddha rites', 'dam': 'giver, bestower (as in ‘one who gives’)', 'pitṛpiṇḍadam': 'one who gives the ancestral piṇḍa

Speaker

जम्बुक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Jambuka
• Gṛdhra (vulture)
• Putra (the child/son)
• Bhūṣaṇa (ornaments)
• Pitṛ (ancestors)
• Piṇḍa (ancestral offering)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores pitṛdharma: a son is traditionally seen as the one who continues the lineage and performs śrāddha (piṇḍa-offerings) for the ancestors. Abandoning such a child, especially due to misleading counsel, is portrayed as ethically wrong and socially irreligious.

What is happening in the narrative?

Jambuka argues against abandoning a splendid, ornamented child. He challenges the group’s decision, saying they are being misled by a vulture’s words, and reminds them that the child is valuable as the future performer of ancestral rites.