Shloka 47
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
अपकारं समुद्दिश्य द्विजः प्राणान्परित्यजेत् । दृश्यते येन चान्येन ब्रह्महा स भवेन्नरः
apakāraṃ samuddiśya dvijaḥ prāṇānparityajet | dṛśyate yena cānyena brahmahā sa bhavennaraḥ
Wenn ein Zweimalgeborener (dvija) sein Leben mit der Absicht aufgibt, Schaden zuzufügen, und ein anderer dies bezeugt, wird jener Mensch zum brahmahā, zum Brāhmaṇa-Mörder.
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed from Adhyaya 48 narrative frame).
Concept: Intention to cause harm (apacāra-saṅkalpa) can render even one’s own death morally equivalent to brahmahatyā when witnessed—ethics is rooted in motive and consequence, not merely the instrument of violence.
Application: Do not weaponize self-harm to injure others (guilt, coercion, social chaos); cultivate non-malicious intent; seek help and reconciliation; practice forgiveness and truthful communication.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A tense village-edge scene: a distraught dvija stands at a threshold, intent darkening his aura, while a silent witness watches from behind a pillar—making the unseen intention ‘seen’. Above, a subtle karmic script unfurls, declaring that malicious self-sacrifice becomes brahmahatyā by moral equivalence.","primary_figures":["a twice-born man (dvija) in distress","a witness figure (sākṣin)","personified Saṅkalpa as a dark mist","Dharma as an unseen judge (symbolic eye or balance)"],"setting":"Threshold of a courtyard near a banyan tree and a small shrine; liminal space emphasizing ethical boundary-crossing.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["dusty saffron","banyan green","shadow violet","clay brown","pale ash"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a dvija at a doorway with a dark saṅkalpa aura, a clear witness behind a pillar, and a golden ‘eye of Dharma’ above; ornate gold leaf for the Dharma symbol, rich maroon background, stylized shrine elements, moral allegory rendered in iconic South Indian composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate courtyard scene under a banyan, the dvija’s face conflicted, a witness peering gently yet firmly; delicate brushwork showing a faint dark mist labeled as intention, soft natural palette with lyrical realism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined dvija and witness in a symmetrical frame, a large stylized Dharma-eye above, flat color fields, expressive eyes conveying fear and remorse; red-yellow-green pigments with deep shadow accents.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical panel with a central Dharma emblem and lotus borders; the dvija and witness rendered as narrative figures, intricate floral motifs, indigo and gold highlights; symbolic mist patterns indicating harmful intent rather than literal self-harm depiction."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["wind through banyan leaves","distant bell","soft silence","single conch note (very faint)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्राणान्परित्यजेत् → प्राणान् + परित्यजेत्; चान्येन → च + अन्येन; भवेन्नरः → भवेत् + नरः (त् + न → न्न)
FAQs
Yes. It states that if a twice-born person abandons life with the intention of causing harm, he incurs the grave sin labeled here as brahmahā (associated with brahmahatyā).
The verse explicitly includes an external witness (“seen by another”), indicating that the act and its intention become established/attested in the moral-legal framing of dharma described here.
Intention (saṅkalpa) matters: even an act directed at self can be morally judged by its aim to harm others, and such malicious intent is condemned as a grievous transgression.