Shloka 114

Puṣkara-Śapatha Itihāsa (Agastya–Indra Dispute at the Tīrthas) | पुष्कर-शपथ-आख्यानम्

Devanagari script

अत्रि बोले--जो मृणालकी चोरी करता हो उसे गायको लात मारने, सूर्यकी ओर मुँह करके पेशाब करने और अनध्यायके समय अध्ययन करनेका पाप लगे ।।

Transliteration

Vasiṣṭha uvāca: anadhyāye paṭhel loke śunaḥ saḥ parikarṣatu | parivrāṭ kāmavṛttas tu bisastainyaṃ karoti yaḥ ||

Translation

Vasiṣṭha dijo: «Quien estudia (el Veda) en el tiempo en que el estudio está prohibido incurre en una falta tan grave que se la compara con ser arrastrado por perros ante la gente. Y el renunciante errante que vive según el capricho y el deseo: él también comete el pecado de robar bisas (fibras del tallo de loto).»

Word by Word

• अनध्याये: at the time of non-study (prohibited time)
• अनध्याये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनध्याय
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• पठेत्: should read/recite
• पठेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• लोके: in the world / among people
• लोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• शुनः: of a dog (i.e., with a dog)
• शुनः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परिकर्षतु: let him drag about / be dragged around
• परिकर्षतु: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√कृष्
• Form: Imperative (Lot), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• परिव्राट्: a wandering mendicant (renunciant)
• परिव्राट्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिव्राट्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कामवृत्तः: acting as he pleases / of self-willed conduct
• कामवृत्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम-वृत्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• बिसस्तैन्यं: theft of lotus-stalks (mṛṇāla/bisa)
• बिसस्तैन्यं: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिस-स्तैन्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• करोति: does/commits
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Present (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• parivrāṭ (wandering renunciant)
• dogs (śunaḥ)
• bisa (lotus-stalk fibre)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That dharma includes strict discipline in sacred learning and integrity in renunciation: studying the Veda at forbidden times (anadhyāya) and living as a desire-driven ‘renunciant’ are treated as serious moral violations, comparable to theft.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva’s didactic setting, Vasiṣṭha delivers a moral-legal judgment: he states the demerit attached to reciting during anadhyāya and condemns a wandering ascetic who behaves licentiously, declaring such conduct tantamount to stealing lotus-stalk fibres (bisa).