Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

यमस्य पुरुषै: क्लेशं यमस्य पुरुषैर्वधम्‌ दुःखं संसारचक्रं च नर: क्लेशं स विन्दति

Transliteration

yamasya puruṣaiḥ kleśaṃ yamasya puruṣair vadham duḥkhaṃ saṃsāracakraṃ ca naraḥ kleśaṃ sa vindati

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira dit : L’homme en vient à subir le tourment des serviteurs de Yama—endurant leurs coups et leurs châtiments—et il est contraint de traverser la douloureuse rotation de la roue du saṃsāra. Ainsi, par les conséquences mêmes de ses fautes, il rencontre l’affliction et la misère sans cesse renouvelées.

Word by Word

• यमस्य: of Yama
• यमस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पुरुषैः: by the men/servants (of Yama)
• पुरुषैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• क्लेशम्: torment, affliction
• क्लेशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्लेश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यमस्य: of Yama
• यमस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पुरुषैः: by the men/servants (of Yama)
• पुरुषैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• वधम्: slaying, beating, assault
• वधम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दुःखम्: sorrow, pain
• दुःखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• संसारचक्रम्: the wheel/cycle of transmigration
• संसारचक्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसारचक्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्लेशम्: torment, affliction
• क्लेशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्लेश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• विन्दति: finds, experiences, obtains
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (विन्दति)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yama's attendants (Yamadūtas)
• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Wrongdoing ripens into suffering: one’s own actions lead to torment and continued misery within the cycle of saṃsāra, symbolized by punishment administered by Yama’s agents.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira describes the post-mortem consequences faced by a sinner: being seized and afflicted by Yama’s attendants and made to endure painful experiences that reflect karmic retribution and continued entanglement in saṃsāra.