Shloka 74

Śaraṇāgata-Atithi-Dharma in the Kapota Narrative (कपोत-आख्यानम्—शरणागतधर्मः)

Devanagari script

श्षपच उवाच असता यत्‌ समाचीर्ण न च धर्म: सनातन: । नाकार्यमिह कार्य वै मा छलेनाशुभं कृथा:

Transliteration

śvapaca uvāca: asatā yat samācīrṇaṁ na ca dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ | nākāryam iha kāryaṁ vai mā chalena aśubhaṁ kṛthāḥ ||

Translation

The outcaste said: “What has been practiced by the unrighteous is not the eternal Dharma. Here, do not treat what ought not be done as something to be done; do not commit wrongdoing through deceit.”

Word by Word

श्वपचःthe dog-cooker (outcaste)

उवाचsaid

असताby an untrue/evil (means)

यत्what/that which

समाचीर्यतेis practiced/performed

नnot

चand

धर्मःdharma; righteousness

सनातनःeternal

नnot

अकार्यंa forbidden act; what should not be done

इहhere; in this world

कार्यंa duty; what should be done

वैindeed

माdo not (prohibitive)

छलेनby deceit; through trickery

अशुभंevil; inauspicious (act)

कृथाdo/make

Speaker

श्षपच उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śvapaca (outcaste speaker)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Eternal dharma is not defined by what the unrighteous happen to practice; one must not justify improper actions as ‘duty,’ nor commit evil through deception.

What is happening in the narrative?

An outcaste speaker offers moral counsel, warning the listener against mistaking adharma for dharma and specifically condemning deceitful means that lead to wrongdoing.