Shloka 114

Devanagari script

अत्रि बोले--जो मृणालकी चोरी करता हो उसे गायको लात मारने, सूर्यकी ओर मुँह करके पेशाब करने और अनध्यायके समय अध्ययन करनेका पाप लगे ।। वसिष्ठ उवाच अनध्याये पठेल्लोके शुन: सः परिकर्षतु । परिव्राट्‌ कामवृत्तस्तु बिसस्तैन्यं करोति यः,वसिष्ठ बोले--जिसने मृणाल चुराये हों उसे निषिद्ध समयमें वेद पढ़ने, कुत्ते लेकर शिकार खेलने, संन्यासी होकर मनमाना बर्ताव करने, शरणागतको मारने, अपनी कन्या बेचकर जीविका चलाने तथा किसानके धन छीन लेनेका पाप लगे

Transliteration

Vasiṣṭha uvāca: anadhyāye paṭhel loke śunaḥ saḥ parikarṣatu | parivrāṭ kāmavṛttas tu bisastainyaṃ karoti yaḥ ||

Translation

Vasiṣṭha said: “Whoever studies (the Veda) during a time when study is forbidden incurs a fault so grave that it is likened to being dragged about by dogs among people. And the wandering renunciant who lives by whim and desire—he too commits the sin of stealing bisas (lotus-stalk fibres).”

Word by Word

अनध्यायेat the time of non-study (prohibited time)

पठेत्should read/recite

लोकेin the world / among people

शुनःof a dog (i.e., with a dog)

सःhe

परिकर्षतुlet him drag about / be dragged around

परिव्राट्a wandering mendicant (renunciant)

कामवृत्तःacting as he pleases / of self-willed conduct

तुbut/indeed

बिसस्तैन्यंtheft of lotus-stalks (mṛṇāla/bisa)

करोतिdoes/commits

यःwho (he who)

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vasiṣṭha

parivrāṭ (wandering renunciant)

dogs (śunaḥ)

bisa (lotus-stalk fibre)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That dharma includes strict discipline in sacred learning and integrity in renunciation: studying the Veda at forbidden times (anadhyāya) and living as a desire-driven ‘renunciant’ are treated as serious moral violations, comparable to theft.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva’s didactic setting, Vasiṣṭha delivers a moral-legal judgment: he states the demerit attached to reciting during anadhyāya and condemns a wandering ascetic who behaves licentiously, declaring such conduct tantamount to stealing lotus-stalk fibres (bisa).