Shloka 78
The Marks of Merit and the Destinies of Beings
Divine vs Demonic Traits
स्त्रियो दुष्टा जना दुष्टाः सर्वे पापबलात्तदा । वृद्धो ज्ञाता द्विजस्तत्र तत्कार्ये न मतिं दधौ
striyo duṣṭā janā duṣṭāḥ sarve pāpabalāttadā | vṛddho jñātā dvijastatra tatkārye na matiṃ dadhau
At that time the women were corrupt, the people were corrupt—everyone, driven by the force of sin. There, an aged and knowledgeable Brahmin did not set his mind to that undertaking.
Narrator (contextual speaker not explicit in the provided excerpt)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Type: city
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पापबलात्तदा = पाप-बलात् + तदा; द्विजस्तत्र = द्विजः + तत्र; तत्कार्ये = तत्-कार्ये
FAQs
It depicts a society overpowered by sin (pāpabala) and highlights discernment: a wise elder Brahmin refuses to commit his mind to an unworthy or tainted undertaking.
The verse does not explicitly name a yuga, but its motif—widespread corruption and sin’s dominance—resembles common Purāṇic descriptions associated with moral decline (often discussed in relation to Kali-yuga).
The implied lesson is restraint and moral clarity: when an action is surrounded by wrongdoing or driven by sinful force, the wise refrain from consenting internally, not merely from acting outwardly.