Shloka 35
अव्यक्त-प्रबोधः (Awakening to the Unmanifest): The 25th and 26th Principles and Eligibility for Brahma-vidyā
जातिसे श्रेष्ठ पुरुष भी यदि निन्दित कर्म करता है तो वह कर्म उसे कलंकित कर देता है; इसलिये किसी भी दृष्टिसे बुरा कर्म करना अच्छा नहीं है ।। जनक उवाच कानि कर्माणि धर्म्याणि लोके5स्मिन् द्विजसत्तम । न हिंसन्तीह भूतानि क्रियमाणानि सर्वदा
Janaka uvāca: kāni karmāṇi dharmyāṇi loke 'smin dvijasattama | na hiṃsantīha bhūtāni kriyamāṇāni sarvadā ||
«Même un homme de naissance élevée, s’il accomplit un acte blâmable, cet acte le couvre d’infamie ; ainsi, sous quelque angle qu’on le considère, faire le mal n’est jamais bon.» Alors Janaka demanda : «Ô le meilleur des dvija (les “deux fois nés”), quelles actions, en ce monde, sont véritablement conformes au dharma—celles qui, accomplies en tout temps, ne nuisent pas aux êtres vivants ?»
जनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames dharma as action measured by its impact on living beings: Janaka seeks deeds that can be performed consistently without causing harm, highlighting ahiṃsā (non-injury) as a central ethical criterion.
In the Śānti Parva’s instructional dialogue, King Janaka addresses a foremost brāhmaṇa and asks for guidance on which worldly actions qualify as truly dharmic—specifically those that do not injure creatures—setting up a discussion on righteous conduct and restraint.