Shloka 60
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
तत्क्षणान्न मृतं विप्रं पुनर्हंतुं न युज्यते । पुर्नहत्वा वधं घोरं ज्ञानात्प्राप्नोति निश्चितं
tatkṣaṇānna mṛtaṃ vipraṃ punarhaṃtuṃ na yujyate | purnahatvā vadhaṃ ghoraṃ jñānātprāpnoti niścitaṃ
Wenn der Brāhmaṇa in jenem Augenblick nicht tot ist, ziemt es sich nicht, ihn nochmals zu schlagen. Wer jedoch erneut tötet, lädt gewiss eine schreckliche Tat des Schlachtens auf sich, wie es aus der Lehre des heiligen Wissens sicher bekannt ist.
Unspecified (contextual narrator/teacher voice not provided in the single-verse input)
Concept: Even in conflict, one must not escalate violence unnecessarily; striking again when the brāhmaṇa is not dead is improper and compounds the sin of slaughter.
Application: Practice de-escalation: stop when harm can be avoided; do not ‘finish off’ a fallen opponent; cultivate restraint in speech and action; seek lawful resolution and atonement when wrong has occurred.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A tense battlefield moment pauses: a wounded brāhmaṇa lies alive, eyes open, while a warrior’s raised weapon trembles mid-air and then lowers as a sage intervenes with a firm gesture of restraint. The air feels heavy with consequence—violence arrested by dharma, the line between defense and cruelty made visible.","primary_figures":["Wounded brāhmaṇa","Warrior/assailant","Intervening sage or minister of dharma","Witnesses (soldiers or villagers)"],"setting":"A dusty clearing near a hermitage boundary; scattered weapons, a fallen staff (daṇḍa) and water pot (kamaṇḍalu) hint at ascetic presence.","lighting_mood":"overcast calm after shock","color_palette":["dusty ochre","pale saffron","steel gray","muted teal","blood-red accent"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central dramatic freeze-frame—warrior lowering sword, brāhmaṇa on the ground with sacred thread visible, a rishi with gold leaf halo raising a palm in ‘stop’ gesture; ornate gold borders, rich maroons and greens, embossed gold highlights on weapons and ornaments, moral gravity conveyed through symmetrical composition and luminous dharma-figure.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate emotional realism—soft expressions of hesitation and compassion, sparse battlefield clearing near a small āśrama, fine linework on sacred thread and manuscripts, cool grays and gentle ochres, lyrical restraint rather than gore, floral border framing the ethical moment.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized figures with large eyes; the ‘stop’ mudrā dominates, brāhmaṇa marked with yajñopavīta, flat pigments in ochre/red/green with gray-blue sky, iconic moral tableau suitable for temple wall narrative.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical scene under lotus-and-vine borders; central dharma-gesture halting violence, symbolic motifs (conch, lotus) subtly placed to suggest Viṣṇu’s sustaining order; deep blue ground with gold highlights, intricate floral patterns contrasting with the halted weapon."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["tanpura drone","silence between phrases","distant wind","single bell strike at cadence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तत्क्षणात् + न → तत्क्षणान्न; पुनः + हन्तुम् → पुनर्हन्तुम्; पुनः + न + हत्वा → पुर्नहत्वा (पुनर्नहत्वा); ज्ञानात् + प्राप्नोति → ज्ञानात्प्राप्नोति.
FAQs
It emphasizes restraint and non-escalation: if the brāhmaṇa is not dead, striking again is declared improper, and repeating violence is described as a grave act of slaughter.
No. This verse is primarily a dharma/ethics instruction about violence and culpability, not a description of sacred geography.
‘Jñānāt’ signals that the judgment is grounded in authoritative teaching (śāstra/ethical knowledge), presenting the consequence—incurring dreadful slaughter—as a settled conclusion.