Shloka 1
अग्निनाम-वंश-निरूपणम् | Agni-Names and Lineage Enumeration
(दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठके १६ “लोक मिलाकर कुल १००३ श्लोक हैं) #2:8 #:23:.7 (0) हि २ 7 अष्टाधिकद्विशततमो< ध्याय: धर्मव्याथद्वारा हिंसा और अहिंसाका विवेचन मार्कण्डेय उवाच सतु विप्रमथोवाच धर्मव्याथो युधिष्ठिर । यदहमाचरे कर्म घोरमेतदसंशयम्,मार्कण्डेयजी कहते हैं--युधिष्ठिर! तदनन्तर धर्मव्याधने कौशिक ब्राह्मणसे कहा --'मैं जो यह मांस बेचनेका व्यवसाय कर रहा हूँ, वास्तवमें यह अत्यन्त घोर कर्म है, इसमें संशय नहीं है
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca | sa tu vipramatho vāca dharmavyādho yudhiṣṭhira | yad aham ācare karma ghoram etad asaṁśayam |
Mārkaṇḍeya said: “O Yudhiṣṭhira, then the dharma-vyādha, the righteous butcher, spoke to the brāhmaṇa Vipramatha: ‘The work I practice—this trade of selling meat—is indeed a dreadful deed; of this there is no doubt.’”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical inquiry: even when an occupation appears inherently violent or impure (selling meat), one must examine dharma carefully. The dharma-vyādha begins by acknowledging the apparent moral gravity of his work, preparing the ground for a nuanced discussion of duty, intention, and righteous conduct.
Markandeya narrates to Yudhiṣṭhira the next moment in the episode: the dharma-vyādha addresses the brāhmaṇa Vipramatha (Kauśika) and admits that his livelihood—selling meat—is a ‘ghora’ act, stated with certainty, as the prelude to his instruction on dharma.