Shloka 19

कपिल–स्यूमरश्मि संवादः

Kapila and Syūmaraśmi on Renunciation, Householder Support, and Epistemic Authority

Devanagari script

जैसे सब लोग मौतके मुखमें जानेसे डरते हैं

Transliteration

tulādhāra uvāca | yathā sarve janā mṛtyoḥ mukhe gantuṁ bibhyati, tathā yasya smaraṇamātreṇa sarve janā udvignā bhavanti, yaś ca kaṭuvākya-vaktā daṇḍe ca kaṭhoraḥ, sa mahad bhayaṁ pratipadyate | yathāvad vartamānānāṁ vṛddhānāṁ putra-pautriṇām | anuvartāmahe vṛttam ahiṁsrāṇāṁ mahātmanām ||

Translation

Tulādhāra said: Just as all people fear going into the very mouth of death, so too a man whose mere remembrance makes everyone anxious—who speaks harshly and is severe in punishment—must himself face great fear. As for me, I follow the conduct of those great-souled elders who live rightly according to the rule of dharma, who are blessed with sons and grandsons, and who do not harm any living being.

Word by Word

• यथावत्: properly, duly, as prescribed
• यथावत्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत्
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable adverb)

• वर्तमानानाम्: of those who are behaving/acting (properly)
• वर्तमानानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्तमान (वर्त् धातु से वर्तमान-)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter Genitive Plural (agreeing with वृद्धानाम्/महात्मनाम् by sense)

• वृद्धानाम्: of the elders
• वृद्धानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध
• Form: Masculine Genitive Plural

• पुत्रपौत्रिणाम्: of those having sons and grandsons
• पुत्रपौत्रिणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्रपौत्रिन्
• Form: Masculine Genitive Plural

• अनुवर्तामहे: we follow, we conform to
• अनुवर्तामहे: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु√वृत्
• Form: Present tense, Atmanepada, 1st person plural

• वृत्तम्: conduct, behavior, practice
• वृत्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्त
• Form: Neuter Accusative Singular

• अहिंस्राणाम्: of the non-violent (those who do not harm)
• अहिंस्राणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहिंस्र
• Form: Masculine Genitive Plural

• महात्मनाम्: of the great-souled ones
• महात्मनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine Genitive Plural

Speaker

तुलाधार उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Tulādhāra
• mṛtyu (Death)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Harshness—whether in speech or in punitive severity—creates fear in others and rebounds as great fear for the harsh person; the recommended model is the dharmic conduct of non-violent, disciplined elders who live according to śāstra.

What is happening in the narrative?

Tulādhāra is instructing his interlocutor by contrasting two life-patterns: the feared, harsh punisher whose presence unsettles society, and the exemplary elders who practice prescribed conduct and ahiṁsā; he declares that he follows the latter.