Shloka 18

कल्मषापहर-कीर्तनम् / Kīrtana for the Removal of Impurity

Devanagari script

मार्गहिस्थ च ये मार्ग न यच्छन्त्यल्पबुद्धय: । पाद्या्हस्य च ये पाद्यं न ददत्यल्पबुद्धय:,वे बुद्धिहीन अथवा मन्दबुद्धि पुरुष मार्ग देनेयोग्य पुरुषोंको जानेके लिये मार्ग नहीं देते और पाद्य अर्पण करनेयोग्य पूजनीय पुरुषोंको पाद्य (पैर धोनेके लिये जल) नहीं देते हैं

Transliteration

mārga-sthāś ca ye mārgaṁ na yacchanty alpa-buddhayaḥ | pādyārhasya ca ye pādyaṁ na dadaty alpa-buddhayaḥ ||

Translation

Die von geringem Verstand zeigen, selbst wenn sie am Wege stehen, dem, der geführt werden soll, nicht den Weg; und einem verehrungswürdigen Gast, der es verdient, reichen sie auch kein Wasser zum Fußwaschen (pādya).

Word by Word

मार्गहिताःthose for whom (a) path is beneficial / those who deserve guidance on the path

चand

येwho

मार्गम्path, way

नnot

यच्छन्तिthey give, grant, provide

अल्पबुद्धयःpeople of little understanding

पाद्यस्यof foot-washing water (pādya)

चand

येwho

पाद्यम्foot-washing water (offering)

नnot

ददतिthey give

अल्पबुद्धयःpeople of little understanding

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śrī-Maheśvara (speaker)

mārga (road/path)

pādya (foot-washing water)

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?

One should practice basic dharma through helpfulness and hospitality: guide those who need directions and honor worthy guests with customary respect (such as offering pādya). Neglecting these simple duties reflects poor discernment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śrī Maheśvara is enumerating behaviors that mark a person as lacking wisdom—specifically, refusing to help travelers by indicating the way and failing to perform respectful guest-reception for those who deserve honor.