Shloka 26

Devanagari script

सतां वत्मनिवर्तन्ते यजन्ते चाविहिंसया । वनस्पतीनोषधीश्व फल मूलं च ते विदु:

Transliteration

satāṁ vatmanivartante yajante cāvihiṁsayā | vanaspatīnoṣadhīś ca phala-mūlaṁ ca te viduḥ ||

Translation

They follow the path of the righteous and perform worship without violence. They recognize as their proper offerings and sustenance the fruits and roots of trees and medicinal herbs—choosing what can be taken without harming living beings.

Word by Word

• सताम्: of the good (people)
• सताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• वत्मनि: on the path
• वत्मनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• वर्तन्ते: they proceed / they follow
• वर्तन्ते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Atmanepada

• यजन्ते: they sacrifice / worship
• यजन्ते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Atmanepada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अविहिंसया: with non-violence
• अविहिंसया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविहिंसा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• वनस्पतीन्: trees
• वनस्पतीन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वनस्पति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• ओषधीषु: among herbs / in medicinal plants
• ओषधीषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओषधि
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• फलम्: fruit
• फलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मूलम्: root
• मूलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विदुः: they know / they recognize
• विदुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

Speaker

चुलाधार उवाच

Characters & Entities

• चुलाधार (Tulādhāra)
• सत्/सज्जन (the righteous)
• वनस्पति (trees)
• ओषधि (herbs)
• फल (fruits)
• मूल (roots)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True dharma is aligned with ahiṁsā: the righteous worship and live in ways that avoid harming beings, accepting plant-based offerings like fruits, roots, and herbs as appropriate.

What is happening in the narrative?

Tulādhāra is instructing about the conduct of the virtuous, emphasizing non-violent worship and the choice of harmless sustenance/offerings drawn from fruits, roots, and herbs.