Shloka 26

स्कन्दोपाख्यानम् — उत्पातशान्तिः, स्वाहारूपविचारः, कौमारमङ्गलक्रियाः

Devanagari script

धर्ममेव गुरु ज्ञात्वा करोमि द्विजसत्तम । अलन्हद्रित: सदा विप्र शुश्रूषां वै करोम्पहम्‌,विप्रवर! इस प्रकार माता-पिताकी सेवारूप धर्मको ही महान्‌ मानकर मैं उसका पालन करता हूँ। ब्रह्म! आलस्य छोड़कर मैं सदा इन्हीं दोनोंकी सेवामें लगा रहता हूँ

Transliteration

dharmam eva guruṃ jñātvā karomi dvijasattama | alasyam utsṛjya sadā vipra śuśrūṣāṃ vai karomy aham ||

Translation

Wahai brahmana terbaik! Mengetahui Dharma semata sebagai guruku, aku hidup menurutnya. Wahai brahmana, setelah menyingkirkan kemalasan, aku senantiasa tekun dalam shushrusha—pelayanan penuh perhatian—kepada mereka berdua.

Word by Word

धर्मम्dharma, duty

एवindeed, only

गुरुम्as (my) teacher/elder; as most important

ज्ञात्वाhaving known/considered

करोमिI do / I perform

द्विजसत्तमO best of the twice-born (brahmin)

अलन्धृतःnot slackened / not negligent (i.e., without laziness)

सदाalways

विप्रO brahmin

शुश्रूषाम्service, attendance

वैindeed, surely

करोमिI do / I perform

अहम्I

Speaker

व्याध उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyādha (the hunter, speaker)

Brāhmaṇa (addressed as dvijasattama/vipra)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is treated as the highest authority, and its practical expression here is steady, non-lazy service (śuśrūṣā), especially the duty of caring for one’s parents; ethical greatness is shown through conduct, not social status.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the dialogue, the hunter instructs a brāhmaṇa, explaining his own way of life: he has made Dharma his guide and continually practices it through devoted service, emphasizing disciplined effort over idleness.