Shloka 15

Kārtavīrya–Samudra Saṃvāda and the Jāmadagnya Precedent (आश्वमेधिक पर्व, अध्याय २९)

Devanagari script

तेषां स्वविहितं कर्म तद्धयान्नानुतिष्ठताम्‌ । प्रजा वृषलतां प्राप्ता ब्राह्मणानामदर्शनात्‌,उन्होंने उनके डरसे अपने क्षत्रियोचित कर्मोंका भी त्याग कर दिया। बहुत दिनोंतक ब्राह्मणोंका दर्शन न कर सकनेके कारण वे धीरे-धीरे अपने कर्म भूलकर शूद्र हो गये

Transliteration

teṣāṁ svavihitaṁ karma taddhayān nānutiṣṭhatām | prajā vṛṣalatāṁ prāptā brāhmaṇānām adarśanāt ||

Translation

Overawed by fear, they did not carry out the duties prescribed for them as their own. Deprived for a long time of the sight and guidance of Brāhmaṇas, the people gradually forgot proper conduct and fell into the condition of vṛṣalas (vṛṣala).

Word by Word

तेषाम्of them

स्वविहितम्prescribed by oneself / duly enjoined (for them)

कर्मduty, action

तत्that

ध्यानात्from (their) attention/consideration; due to (that) thought

नnot

अनुतिष्ठताम्of those who do not perform / while not carrying out

प्रजाःthe subjects, people

वृषलताम्the state of being a vृषल (low/śūdra-like condition)

प्राप्ताःhaving reached, having become

ब्राह्मणानाम्of the brahmins

अदर्शनात्from non-seeing; due to the absence (of sight/meeting)

Speaker

समुद्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

Samudra (the Ocean)

Brāhmaṇas

Prajā (the people/subjects)

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Fear-driven abandonment of one’s prescribed duties leads to ethical and social deterioration; sustained guidance by learned Brāhmaṇas is presented as crucial for preserving dharma and right conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Samudra (the Ocean) explains that certain people, intimidated by fear, stopped performing their proper duties; over time, lacking contact with Brāhmaṇas, they lost their customary discipline and declined into the status described as vṛṣalas.