Shloka 41

Devanagari script

दिवामैथुनिनां चापि दिवसेषु च शेरते । अगारदाहिनां चैव गरदानां च ये मता:,जो ब्राह्मण होकर सर्दीसे और क्षत्रिय होकर युद्धसे डरते हैं, जिस गाँवमें एक ही कुएँका जल पीया जाता हो और जहाँ कभी वेदमन्त्रोंकी ध्वनि न हुई हो, ऐसे स्थानोंमें जो छः: महीनोंतक निवास करते हैं, जो शास्त्रकी निन्दामें तत्पर रहते, दिनमें मैथुन करते और सोते हैं, जो दूसरोंके घरोंमें आग लगाते और दूसरोंको जहर दे देते हैं, जो कभी अग्निहोत्र और अतिथि-सत्कार नहीं करते तथा गायोंके पानी पीनेमें विघ्न डालते हैं, जो रजस्वला सत्रीका सेवन करते और शुल्क लेकर कन्या देते हैं, जो बहुतोंकी पुरोहिती करते, ब्राह्मण होकर सेवा-वृत्तिसे जीविका चलाते, मुँहमें मैथुन करते अथवा दिनमें स्त्री-सहवास करते हैं, जो ब्राह्मणको कुछ देनेकी प्रतिज्ञा करके फिर लोभवश नहीं देते हैं, उन सबको जिन लोकों अथवा दुर्गतिकी प्राप्ति होती है, उन्हींको मैं भी प्राप्त होऊँ; यदि कलतक जयद्रथको न मार डालूँ

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca | divāmaithunināṃ cāpi divaseṣu ca śerate | agāradāhināṃ caiva garadānāṃ ca ye matāḥ ||

Translation

Arjuna said: “May I meet the very same worlds—indeed the same ruinous fate—that is ordained for those who indulge in sexual intercourse by day and who also sleep away the daytime; for those who set fire to other people’s houses; and for those who administer poison.”

Word by Word

दिवाby day, in daytime

मैथुनिनाम्of those who engage in sexual intercourse

चand

अपिalso, even

दिवसेषुin the days, during daytime

चand

शेरतेthey lie down / sleep

अगारदाहिनाम्of house-burners (those who set houses on fire)

चand

एवindeed, just

गरदानाम्of poisoners (those who give poison)

चand

येwho, those who

मताःare considered / are regarded (as such)

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames certain acts—daytime sexual indulgence and sloth, arson, and poisoning—as grave adharma leading to severe consequences; Arjuna invokes that moral scale to intensify his own vow, accepting the same fate if he fails.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Drona Parva context, Arjuna is under a fierce vow connected with the Jayadratha episode; he strengthens his oath by calling down upon himself the dire destiny assigned to notorious wrongdoers if he does not accomplish his pledged act.