Shloka 10

Devanagari script

नखरै: सम्प्रयातस्य स्वधर्मज्ञापकस्य च । अपविद्धानग्निहोत्रस्य गुरो्वालीककारिण:

Transliteration

nakharaiḥ samprayātasya svadharmajñāpakasya ca | apaviddhānagnihotrasya guroḥ vālīkakāriṇaḥ

Translation

Vyāsa dit : «(Considérez le cas) de celui qui s’est écarté de la voie droite par l’œuvre de ses propres “griffes”, et qui pourtant indique aux autres leur devoir ; mais il a rejeté le saint agnihotra et, envers son maître, agit avec ruse et mensonge.»

Word by Word

नखरैःwith nails/claws

सम्प्रयातस्यof one who has departed/gone forth

स्वधर्मज्ञापकस्यof the proclaimer/teacher of one’s own duty

चand

अपविद्धानग्निहोत्रस्यof one who has cast off/abandoned the Agnihotra

गुरोःof the teacher

वालीककारिणःof one who makes (something) into sand/dust; one who reduces to dust

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

agnihotra

guru (preceptor)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ethical authority is undermined when one abandons foundational duties (like agnihotra) and behaves deceitfully toward one’s teacher; merely ‘pointing out dharma’ is insufficient without personal integrity and faithful conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa characterizes a morally compromised person: someone who can still speak about svadharma, yet has neglected sacred obligations and acts falsely in the guru-relationship—highlighting the tension between instruction and lived practice.