Shloka 106
Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption
क्रौज्च: कार्पासिकं हृत्वा मृतो जायति मानव: । चोरयित्वा नर: पट्ट त्वाविकं चैव भारत
krauñcaḥ kārpāsikaṁ hṛtvā mṛto jāyati mānavaḥ | corayitvā naraḥ paṭṭaṁ tvāvikaṁ caiva bhārata ||
Seseorang yang mencuri kain kapas (kārpāsika) lalu mati, terlahir sebagai burung krauñca. Dan, wahai Bhārata, siapa mencuri kain sutra (paṭṭa) dan wol (āvika) pun memperoleh kelahiran yang hina serupa itu.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that theft—even of everyday items like cloth—creates karmic consequences leading to degraded rebirth. It frames property-violation as an ethical breach with tangible results across lives.
Within Anuśāsana Parva’s dharma-instructions, Yudhiṣṭhira cites specific examples of karmic retribution: stealing cotton, silk, or woolen cloth is said to result in rebirth in a lower form (here exemplified by the krauñca bird), underscoring the seriousness of stealing.