Shloka 74
Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption
श्वा ततो जायते मूढ: कर्मणा तेन पार्थिव । भूत्वा श्वा पज्च वर्षाणि ततो जायति मानव:,पृथ्वीनाथ! फिर उसी कर्मसे वह मूढ़ जीव कुत्ता होता है और पाँच वर्षतक कुत्ता रहकर अन्तमें मनुष्यका जन्म पाता है
śvā tato jāyate mūḍhaḥ karmaṇā tena pārthiva | bhūtvā śvā pañca varṣāṇi tato jāyati mānavaḥ ||
Wahai raja! Karena perbuatan itu pula, makhluk yang tersesat itu terlahir sebagai anjing. Setelah hidup sebagai anjing selama lima tahun, barulah ia kemudian lahir kembali sebagai manusia.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Actions (karma) have concrete consequences across births; harmful or deluded conduct can lead to a degrading rebirth, yet the result is not necessarily permanent—after undergoing the karmic fruition, the being may return to human birth.
Yudhiṣṭhira explains to a king that due to a previously mentioned misdeed, a soul is reborn as a dog, remains in that state for five years, and afterward attains human birth again—illustrating karmic retribution and the cycle of transmigration.