Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 30

Chatra–Upānah Dāna: Origin Narrative

Jamadagni–Reṇukā–Sūrya Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच गृहज्ञानी बहि:शास्त्रं पठतां विस्वरं पदम्‌ । गरीयसो<5वजानातु यस्ते हरति पुष्करम्‌

Transliteration

nārada uvāca gṛhajñānī bahiḥśāstraṁ paṭhatāṁ visvaraṁ padam | garīyaso ’vajānātu yas te harati puṣkaram ||

Translation

नारद ने कहा—जिसने आपके कमलों का अपहरण किया हो, वह देह-रूपी घर को ही आत्मा समझे; मर्यादा का उल्लंघन करके शास्त्र पढ़े; स्वरहीन पद का उच्चारण करे और गुरुजनों का अपमान करता रहे—अर्थात् उपर्युक्त पापों का भागी बने।

Word by Word

• {'nārada uvāca': 'Narada said', 'gṛha': 'house

• figuratively, the body as a dwelling', 'gṛhajñānī': 'one whose ‘knowledge’ is confined to the house/body

• one who takes the body as the Self', 'bahiḥ': 'outside

• in violation of proper limits', 'śāstram': 'scripture

• authoritative teaching', 'paṭhatām': 'may (he) study/read

• optative/benedictive sense in context', 'visvaram': 'without proper svara (Vedic accent/intonation)

• toneless, wrongly intoned', 'padam': 'word

• a metrical/recited unit', 'garīyasaḥ': 'of the venerable/superior (elders, teachers)', 'avajānātu': 'may he disrespect/insult

• treat with contempt', 'yaḥ': 'who', 'te': 'your', 'harati': 'steals

• takes away', 'puṣkaram': 'lotus (also ‘pond’ in other contexts

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• lotus (puṣkara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Wrongdoing is shown to bear ethical and spiritual consequences: mistaking the body for the Self, violating propriety while studying scripture, careless or incorrect recitation, and contempt for elders are portrayed as marks of moral decline and demerit.

What is happening in the narrative?

Narada pronounces a malediction-like statement against an unnamed offender—identified only as the one who stole ‘your lotus’—wishing upon him a set of degrading dispositions and faults connected with improper learning and disrespect.