Shloka 35

Adhyaya 28 — Alarka Inquires into Varna and Ashrama Dharma; Madalasa Defines the Fourfold Duties

Sanskrit

ये च स्वधर्मसन्त्यागात् पापं कुर्वन्ति मानवाः ।

उपेक्षतस्तान् नृपतेरिष्टापूर्तं प्रणश्यति ॥

Transliteration

ye ca svadharmasantyāgāt pāpaṃ kurvanti mānavāḥ | upekṣatas tān nṛpater iṣṭāpūrtaṃ praṇaśyati ||

Translation

Und jene Männer, die, ihr eigenes Pflichtgesetz (svadharma) aufgebend, Sünde begehen—wenn der König sie unbeachtet lässt, wird das Verdienst des Königs aus Opfern und Wohltaten (iṣṭa und pūrta) vernichtet.

Speakers

• Madālasā instructing (to her son Alarka) within the Putrānuśāsana discourse

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Rājadharma
• Karma (merit and demerit)
• Social ethics
• Varṇa duties