Shloka 59

Vāraṇāvata-prasaṃsā and the Pāṇḍavas’ Departure (वरणावत-प्रशंसा तथा पाण्डव-प्रयाणम्)

Devanagari script

अपि चाह ं पुरा विप्रैर्वर्जितो गर्हितो वसे । परोपसेवां पापिष्ठां न च कुर्या धनेप्सया

Transliteration

api cāhaṃ purā viprair varjito garhito vase | paropasevāṃ pāpiṣṭhāṃ na ca kuryā dhanepsayā ||

Translation

Auch ich lebte einst, von den Brahmanen gemieden und getadelt. Aus Verlangen nach Reichtum würde ich nicht die schlimmste Sünde begehen: einem anderen in erniedrigender, abhängiger Weise zu dienen.

Word by Word

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: common, nominative, singular

• पुरा: formerly, once
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

• विप्रैः: by Brahmins
• विप्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• वर्जितः: avoided, excluded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्जित
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• गर्हितः: censured, reproached
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्हित
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• वसे: I dwell/live
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस्
• Form: present indicative, first, singular, parasmaipada

• परोपसेवाम्: service to another (servility)
• परोपसेवाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: परोपसेवा
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• पापिष्ठाम्: most sinful, very wicked
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापिष्ठ
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular, superlative

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कुर्याम्: I would do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: optative, first, singular, parasmaipada

• धनेप्सया: through desire for wealth
• धनेप्सया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनेप्सा
• Form: feminine, instrumental, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)
• विप्र (brahmins)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse warns that the pursuit of wealth should not drive one into morally degrading dependence or servile conduct; ethical integrity is to be preserved even at the cost of social hardship.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports a first-person reflection: the speaker recalls having once been rejected and criticized by brahmins, yet insists that even then he would not resort to the 'most sinful' kind of dependent service merely to obtain money.