Shloka 39

Adhyaya 34 — Madālāsā’s Instruction on Sadācāra (Householder Conduct, Purity, and Daily Rites)

Sanskrit

परिवादं न शृणुयादन्येषामपि कुर्वताम् ।

पन्था देयो ब्राह्मणानां राज्ञो दुःखातुरस्य च ॥

Transliteration

parivādaṃ na śṛṇuyād anyeṣām api kurvatām |

panthā deyo brāhmaṇānāṃ rājño duḥkhāturasya ca ||

Translation

Man soll Verleumdung nicht anhören, selbst wenn andere sich daran beteiligen. Auf dem Weg soll man Brahmanen, dem König und einem vom Leid Betroffenen den Vortritt lassen.

Word by Word

परिवादम्slander; backbiting

नnot

शृणुयात्should hear/listen

अन्येषाम्of others

अपिalso; even

कुर्वताम्of those doing (it)

पन्थाःway; path

देयःto be given; should be yielded

ब्राह्मणानाम्to/for Brahmins

राज्ञःto/for the king

दुःखातुरस्यof one distressed by suffering

चand

Speakers

Dharmic instruction within the Markandeya Purana’s didactic section (speaker not specified in the provided extract)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "karuna", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

DharmaSpeech ethicsSocial hierarchy and compassionNon-participation in adharma

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Ethics is not only ‘not speaking’ wrong, but also ‘not consuming’ it—refusing to listen deprives slander of social fuel. Giving way combines honor (to social offices) with mercy (to the afflicted).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

It is ācāra-dharma material rather than sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita.

What is the esoteric significance?

Not listening to parivāda is a discipline of the inner ear (śravaṇa-śuddhi). Yielding the path symbolizes yielding ego and making space for dharma to pass first.