Shloka 29

आरण्यकपर्वणि अध्यायः २१६ — इन्द्र-स्कन्द-संमुखता वज्रप्रहारश्च

Indra approaches Skanda; vajra strike and the arising of Viśākha

Devanagari script

अकार्यकरणाच्चापि भृशं मे व्यथितं मन: । तमुग्रतपसं विप्र॑ं निष्टनन्तं महीतले

Transliteration

akāryakaraṇāccāpi bhṛśaṁ me vyathitaṁ manaḥ | tam ugratapasaṁ vipraṁ niṣṭanantaṁ mahītale ||

Translation

Parce que j’avais fait ce qui ne devait pas être fait, mon esprit fut profondément tourmenté. Je vis ce brāhmaṇa austère, terrible dans sa pénitence, étendu à terre et gémissant ; et le remords me saisit pour la faute impie que j’avais commise.

Word by Word

• अकार्यकरणात्: from doing what ought not to be done
• अकार्यकरणात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकार्य-करण
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

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

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• भृशम्: exceedingly, greatly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम्

• मे: of me / my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• व्यथितम्: pained, distressed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यथित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तम्: him/that (person)
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उग्रतपसम्: of fierce austerity
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र-तपस्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विप्रम्: brahmin
• विप्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• निष्टनन्तम्: groaning, moaning
• Type: Verb
• Root: निष्टनत्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, Present (participle)

• महीतले: on the surface of the earth
• महीतले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही-तल
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

व्याध उवाच

Characters & Entities

• vyādha (the hunter, speaker)
• vipra/brāhmaṇa (the ascetic brāhmaṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights moral accountability: performing an akārya (a forbidden or unethical act) naturally produces inner anguish, and recognition of another’s suffering becomes the trigger for remorse and the search for dharmic correction.

What is happening in the narrative?

The hunter (vyādha) recounts that after committing a wrongful act, he sees an intensely ascetic brāhmaṇa lying on the ground and groaning; this sight intensifies his guilt and mental distress.