Shloka 26

Dāna-Śreṣṭhatā: On the Superiority of Giving

Maitreya–Vyāsa Exemplum

Devanagari script

नृशंसगुणभूयिष्ठं पुरा कर्म कृतं मया | स्मृत्वा तदनुतप्ये5हं हित्वा प्रियमिवात्मजम्‌

Transliteration

nṛśaṃsaguṇabhūyiṣṭhaṃ purā karma kṛtaṃ mayā | smṛtvā tad anutapye'haṃ hitvā priyam ivātmajam ||

Translation

In früherer Zeit beging ich Taten, die von Grausamkeit beherrscht waren. Wenn ich ihrer nun gedenke, brenne ich vor Reue—wie einer, der bereut, nachdem er einen geliebten Sohn verlassen hat.

Word by Word

• नृशंसगुणभूयिष्ठम्: abounding in cruel qualities
• नृशंसगुणभूयिष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नृशंस-गुण-भूयिष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पुरा: formerly, in the past
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

• कर्म: deed, action
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कृतम्: done, committed
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Accusative, Singular, passive/resultative

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Instrumental, Singular

• स्मृत्वा: having remembered
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), prior action (having remembered)

• तत्: that (deed)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अनुतप्ये: I repent, I feel remorse
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-तप्
• Form: Lat, Present, First, Singular, Atmanepada

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• हित्वा: having abandoned, having given up
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), prior action (having abandoned)

• प्रियम्: dear, beloved
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• आत्मजम्: son (one born of oneself)
• आत्मजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

कीट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• kīṭa (the insect; speaker)
• ātmaja (beloved son; as a simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Cruel actions (nṛśaṃsa-karma) leave a lasting moral wound; true ethical awakening is marked by remembrance, remorse, and the recognition that abandoning compassion is as grievous as abandoning one’s own child.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker, identified as ‘the insect’ (kīṭa), confesses that in a previous existence he performed predominantly cruel deeds. Recalling them now, he experiences intense repentance, expressed through the poignant simile of a person regretting the abandonment of a beloved son.