Shloka 16
कर्मनाशाभावः, गर्भे जीवप्रवेशः, आचारधर्मोपदेशः
Karma’s Non-Extinction, Jīva’s Entry into the Embryo, and Instruction on Conduct-Dharma
संयमाश्चानृशंस्यं च परस्वादानवर्जनम् व्यलीकानामकरणं भूतानां मनसा भुवि,दान, व्रत, ब्रह्मचर्य, शास्त्रोक्त रीतिसे वेदाध्ययन, इन्द्रियनिग्रह, शान्ति, समस्त प्राणियोंपर दया, चित्तका संयम, कोमलता, दूसरोंके धन लेनेकी इच्छाका त्याग, संसारके प्राणियोंका मनसे भी अहित न करना, माता-पिताकी सेवा, देवता, अतिथि और गुरुओंकी पूजा, दया, पवित्रता, इन्द्रियोंको सदा काबूमें रखना तथा शुभ कर्मोंका प्रचार करना--यह सब श्रेष्ठ पुरुषोंका बर्ताव कहलाता है। इनके अनुष्ठानसे धर्म होता है, जो सदा प्रजावर्गकी रक्षा करता है
saṁyamāś cānṛśaṁsyaṁ ca parasvādānavarjanam vyalīkānām akaraṇaṁ bhūtānāṁ manasā bhuvi | dānaṁ vrataṁ brahmacaryaṁ śāstroktarītise vedādhyayanaṁ indriyanigrahaḥ śāntiḥ sarvapāṇibhūteṣu dayā cittasaṁyamaḥ mārdavaṁ paradhanagrahaṇecchātyāgaḥ saṁsārabhūtānāṁ manasāpy ahitākaraṇam mātāpitr̥śuśrūṣā devātithigurupūjanam dayā śaucaṁ sadendriyajayaḥ śubhakarmapracāraṇaṁ ca—etat satpuruṣācāra ucyate | etadanuṣṭhānād dharmo bhavati yaḥ sadā prajāvarge rakṣāṁ karoti ||
The brāhmaṇa said: “Self-restraint and non-cruelty; refraining from taking what belongs to others; not engaging in deceit; and not harming any living being even in thought while dwelling on earth—along with charity, vows, celibate discipline, Veda-study according to scriptural rule, control of the senses, inner peace, compassion toward all creatures, mastery of the mind, gentleness, renouncing the desire to seize another’s wealth, serving one’s mother and father, honoring the gods, guests, and teachers, maintaining purity, keeping the senses continually subdued, and promoting auspicious conduct—this is called the way of the noble. By practicing these, dharma arises, and that dharma ever protects the community of subjects.”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Noble conduct (satpuruṣācāra) consists of mental and bodily self-restraint, non-cruelty, truthfulness/non-deceit, non-appropriation of others’ wealth, compassion to all beings, purity, honoring parents/guests/teachers, and disciplined Vedic practice; such observance generates dharma, which in turn safeguards society.
A brāhmaṇa speaker delivers a didactic list of virtues and observances, defining the ethical code of the ‘best people’ and asserting its social function: dharma born from these practices protects the populace.