Shloka 9

Arjuna’s Account of Tapas and the Kirāta Test; Revelation of Maheśvara and the Grant of the Pāśupata-Astra

Devanagari script

सर्वसामर्थ्यलिप्सूनां पापो भवति निश्चय: । अधर्मज्ञोडवलिप्तश्न बालबुद्धिरमर्षण:

Transliteration

sarvasāmarthyalipsūnāṁ pāpo bhavati niścayaḥ | adharmajño 'ḍavaliptaś ca bālabuddhir amarṣaṇaḥ ||

Translation

Entre quienes codician el poder y la capacidad absolutos, surge inevitablemente una determinación pecaminosa. Tal persona se vuelve incapaz de comprender el dharma, se hincha de orgullo, juzga con mente infantil y es intolerante: no soporta freno ni corrección.

Word by Word

सर्वसामर्थ्यलिप्सूनाम्of those desiring all capability/power

पापःsinful/evil

भवतिbecomes/is

निश्चयःcertainty/conviction

अधर्मज्ञःknower of adharma (unrighteousness)

उद्वलिप्तःarrogant, puffed up

चand

बालबुद्धिःone with childish intellect

अमर्षणःintolerant, unable to bear (slights)

Speaker

धनद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhanada (Kubera)

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Unrestrained craving for total power tends to generate a fixed sinful intention, leading to loss of dharma-awareness, arrogance, immature judgment, and intolerance; ethical life requires restraint and humility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhanada (Kubera) delivers a moral observation, warning that the hunger for absolute capability/power corrupts character and undermines dharma, describing the traits that follow from such ambition.