Shloka 48

अम्बा–राम–भीष्म संवादः

Amba–Rama–Bhishma Dialogue on Vow and Refuge

Devanagari script

“गुरोरप्यवलिप्तस्य कार्याकार्यमजानतः । उत्पथप्रतिपन्नस्य परित्यागो विधीयते”

Transliteration

guror apy avaliptasya kāryākāryam ajānataḥ | utpatha-pratipannasya parityāgo vidhīyate ||

Translation

Rama said: Even a teacher, if swollen with pride, failing to discern what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, and having taken to a wrongful path, is to be renounced. The ethical point is that reverence for a guru is grounded in dharma; when guidance itself becomes adharma through arrogance and moral confusion, one must withdraw allegiance rather than follow wrongdoing.

Word by Word

• {'guroḥ (guru)': 'of the teacher/spiritual preceptor', 'api': 'even', 'avaliptasya': 'of one who is arrogant, puffed up with pride', 'kārya': 'what should be done

• duty', 'akārya': 'what should not be done

• forbidden act', 'ajānataḥ': 'not knowing

• not understanding', 'utpatha': 'wrong path

• deviation from dharma', 'pratipannasya': 'having entered upon

• having adopted', 'parityāgaḥ': 'abandonment

• renunciation', 'vidhīyate': 'is enjoined

Speaker

राम उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• guru (teacher/preceptor)
• Marutta (Mahātmā Marutta, as cited in the purāṇic reference)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Respect for a guru is not blind: if a teacher becomes arrogant, loses discernment of duty vs. forbidden action, and leads onto an unrighteous path, dharma permits—indeed prescribes—renouncing that guidance rather than participating in adharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Rama cites an authoritative maxim (heard in a purāṇic context, attributed to Mahātmā Marutta) to justify a dharmic principle: the disciple is not bound to follow a preceptor who has deviated into wrongful conduct and confused moral judgment.