Shloka 16

उपदेशदोषप्रसङ्गः (Upadeśa-doṣa-prasaṅgaḥ) — The Risk of Misapplied Counsel

Devanagari script

कुलपतिरुवाच न शक्‍्यमिह शूद्रेण लिड्गमाश्रित्य वर्तितुम्‌ । आस्यतां यदि ते बुद्धि: शुश्रूषानिरतो भव

Transliteration

kulapatir uvāca na śakyam iha śūdreṇa liṅgam āśritya vartitum | āsyatāṃ yadi te buddhiḥ śuśrūṣā-nirato bhava |

Translation

The head of the hermitage said: “In this āśrama, a Śūdra cannot remain here by adopting the outward marks of renunciation. If your intention is to stay here, then stay without such pretence and devote yourself to service of the sages and holy men. Through service alone you will attain an excellent world—of this there is no doubt.”

Word by Word

• {'kulapatiḥ': 'head of a hermitage

• superintendent of an āśrama', 'uvāca': 'said', 'na śakyam': 'it is not possible', 'iha': 'here (in this place/āśrama)', 'śūdreṇa': 'by a Śūdra (member of the Śūdra varṇa)', 'liṅgam': 'mark, sign, outward emblem (especially of renunciation)', 'āśritya': 'having resorted to

• adopting', 'vartitum': 'to live, to conduct oneself, to remain', 'āsyatām': 'let it be

• let it remain so (i.e., without the renunciant marks)', 'yadi': 'if', 'te': 'your', 'buddhiḥ': 'intention, resolve, understanding', 'śuśrūṣā': 'service, attentive attendance, obedience', 'nirataḥ': 'engaged in, devoted to', 'bhava': 'be (imperative)', 'uttama lokaḥ': 'excellent world/realm (good destiny after death)', 'saṃśayaḥ': 'doubt'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Kulapati (head of the hermitage)
• Śūdra
• Āśrama
• Liṅga (marks of renunciation)
• Sādhus/Mahātmas (holy men; implied by śuśrūṣā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Outward symbols of renunciation are not sufficient or appropriate in every context; one should follow the discipline of the āśrama and one’s prescribed duties. Sincere service (śuśrūṣā) to the virtuous is presented as a legitimate and fruitful path to spiritual merit and a good destiny.

What is happening in the narrative?

A kulapati (hermitage head) addresses a Śūdra who seeks to stay in the āśrama by adopting the external insignia of a renunciant. The kulapati refuses the adoption of such marks within that setting and instead instructs him to remain and practice devoted service to holy men, assuring him of spiritual reward through that service.