Shloka 13
Agastya-Māhātmya and Vasiṣṭha’s Protection of the Ādityas
Khalina Daityas; Sarayū Etiology
कुल वीर्य च तेजश्न तिर्यग्योनित्वमेव च । स प्रयाति यथा श्रा वै निष्क्रियो धर्मवर्जित:,उसके कुल, वीर्य और तेज नष्ट हो जाते हैं तथा वह धर्म-कर्मसे हीन होकर कुत्तेकी भाँति तिर्यक्-योनिमें पड़ जाता है
kula-vīryaṁ ca tejaś ca tiryag-yonitvam eva ca | sa prayāti yathā śvā vai niṣkriyo dharma-varjitaḥ ||
Bhīṣma said: “A man’s noble lineage, his manly vigor, and his radiance are ruined; and, bereft of dharma and inactive in righteous duty, he goes to an animal birth—like a dog.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Neglect of dharma and refusal to engage in righteous action leads to the collapse of one’s honor and inner power, and results in a degraded destiny symbolized by animal rebirth.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction (Anuśāsana Parva), he warns about the consequences of being dharma-less and inactive in duty, using the image of falling into an animal birth like a dog to stress ethical accountability.