Shloka 67

Dharma-vyādha’s Analysis of Moral Decline and the Mahābhūta–Guṇa Schema (धर्मव्याधोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

द्विजपादोदकक्लिन्ना यावत्‌ तिष्ठति मेदिनी । तावत्‌ पुष्करपर्णेन पिबन्ति पितरो जलम्‌,ब्राह्मणोंके चरण पखारनेके जलसे जबतक पृथ्वी भीगी रहती है, तबतक पितरलोग कमलके पत्तेसे जल पीते हैं

Transliteration

dvijapādodakaklinnā yāvat tiṣṭhati medinī | tāvat puṣkaraparṇena pibanti pitaro jalam ||

Translation

ব্ৰাহ্মণসকলৰ চৰণ ধোৱা পানীৰে যিমান সময় পৃথিৱী সিক্ত থাকে, সিমান সময় পিতৃগণে পদ্মপাতৰ পৰা যেন সেই পানী পান কৰে।

Word by Word

द्विजपादोदकक्लिन्नाwetted/soaked by the water (used) for the feet of Brahmins

यावत्as long as

तिष्ठतिremains, stands

मेदिनीthe earth

तावत्so long, for that long

पुष्करपर्णेनwith a lotus-leaf

पिबन्तिdrink

पितरःthe ancestors (pitṛs)

जलम्water

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Pitṛs (ancestors)

brāhmaṇa (dvija)

earth (medinī)

lotus leaf (puṣkara-parṇa)

water used for washing feet (pādodaka)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Respect shown to worthy persons—especially brāhmaṇas and guests—creates lasting spiritual benefit; even a simple act like offering water for washing feet is portrayed as directly nourishing the ancestors, emphasizing continuity of duty across generations.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a dharma-based belief: the water from washing a brāhmaṇa’s feet remains efficacious while it still moistens the ground, during which time the Pitṛs are said to partake of it—highlighting the unseen fruits of righteous conduct.