Shloka 16

Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption

Devanagari script

तस्मान्न्यायागतैरर्थर्धर्म सेवेत पण्डित:

Transliteration

tasmān nyāyāgatair arthair dharmaṁ seveta paṇḍitaḥ

Translation

Ainsi, le sage doit poursuivre et soutenir le Dharma au moyen de richesses acquises par des voies justes et légitimes.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• न्यायागतैः: by (means) obtained through justice/rightful means
• न्यायागतैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न्यायागत
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अर्थैः: with wealth/means
• अर्थैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• धर्मम्: dharma/righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सेवेत: should practice/should pursue
• सेवेत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• पण्डितः: a wise man/scholar
• पण्डितः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पण्डित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma should be practiced and supported only through resources gained by just and legitimate means; the purity of the means matters as much as the goal.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-focused dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a principle of ethical conduct: a wise person should serve dharma using wealth acquired through nyāya (justice), aligning moral action with rightful livelihood.