Shloka 33
Nakula’s Declaration and the Uñchavṛtti Brāhmaṇa’s Superior Merit (Āśvamedhika Parva, Adhyāya 92)
धर्मदृष्टविंधिद्वारैस्तपस्तप्स्यामहे वयम् । भवत: सम्यगिष्टा तु बुद्धिर्हिंसाविवर्जिता,विसर्जिता: समाप्तौ च सत्रादस्माद् व्रजामहे । धर्मशास्त्रमें देखे गये विधि-विधानसे ही हम तपस्या करेंगे। आपको हिंसारहित बुद्धि ही अधिक प्रिय है; अतः प्रभो! आप यज्ञोंमें सदा इस अहिंसाका ही प्रतिपादन करें। द्विजश्रेष्ठ! ऐसा करनेसे हम आपपर बहुत प्रसन्न होंगे। यज्ञकी समाप्ति होनेपर जब आप हमें विदा करेंगे, तब हम यहाँसे अपने घरको जायँगे
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
dharmadṛṣṭa-vidhi-dvārais tapaḥ tapsyāmahe vayam | bhavataḥ samyag-iṣṭā tu buddhir hiṃsā-vivarjitā | visarjitāḥ samāptau ca satrād asmād vrajāmahe ||
We shall undertake our austerities only through the procedures and disciplines sanctioned by dharma. What is truly dear to you is a mind free from violence; therefore, O lord, in your sacrifices always uphold and teach this principle of non-injury. When this sacrificial session is concluded and you grant us leave, we shall depart from here and return to our homes.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Austerity and ritual must be governed by dharma, and the ethical ideal emphasized here is a mind and practice free from violence (ahiṃsā/hiṃsā-vivarjana), even within sacrificial contexts.
The speaker reports a group’s resolve to practice tapas only by dharma-sanctioned procedures, praises the addressee’s preference for non-violence, urges him to uphold ahiṃsā in sacrifices, and states they will depart for home once the sacrificial session (satra) concludes and they are formally dismissed.