Shloka 65

Dama-pradhāna-dharma (Self-restraint as the Root of Dharma) — Śānti-parva 154

Devanagari script

जम्बुक उवाच इमं कनकवर्णाभं भूषणै: समलंकृतम्‌ | गृध्रवाक्यात्‌ कथं पुत्र त्यजथध्वं पितृपिण्डदम्‌

Transliteration

Jambuka uvāca: imaṁ kanakavarṇābhaṁ bhūṣaṇaiḥ samalaṅkṛtam | gṛdhravākyāt kathaṁ putra tyajathadhvaṁ pitṛpiṇḍadam ||

Translation

Jambuka said: “Look at this child—his complexion shines like gold, and he is adorned with ornaments, appearing splendid. O son, how can you, swayed by the words of a vulture, abandon this boy who would one day offer the piṇḍa to the ancestors?”

Word by Word

• {'jambukaḥ': 'Jambuka (a jackal

• here the speaker’s name)', 'uvāca': 'said', 'imam': 'this (accusative singular)', 'kanaka-varṇa-ābham': 'having the luster/appearance of golden color', 'bhūṣaṇaiḥ': 'with ornaments (instrumental plural)', 'samalaṅkṛtam': 'fully adorned, decorated', 'gṛdhra-vākyāt': 'because of/from the vulture’s words', 'katham': 'how?', 'putra': 'O son (vocative

• address to a younger one)', 'tyajatha-dhvam': 'you (plural) abandon/are abandoning', 'pitṛ': 'ancestors, forefathers', 'piṇḍa': 'funerary rice-ball offering in śrāddha rites', 'dam': 'giver, bestower (as in ‘one who gives’)', 'pitṛpiṇḍadam': 'one who gives the ancestral piṇḍa

Speaker

जम्बुक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Jambuka
• Gṛdhra (vulture)
• Putra (the child/son)
• Bhūṣaṇa (ornaments)
• Pitṛ (ancestors)
• Piṇḍa (ancestral offering)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores pitṛdharma: a son is traditionally seen as the one who continues the lineage and performs śrāddha (piṇḍa-offerings) for the ancestors. Abandoning such a child, especially due to misleading counsel, is portrayed as ethically wrong and socially irreligious.

What is happening in the narrative?

Jambuka argues against abandoning a splendid, ornamented child. He challenges the group’s decision, saying they are being misled by a vulture’s words, and reminds them that the child is valuable as the future performer of ancestral rites.