Shloka 21

Karma, Preta-gati, and the Continuity of Phala

Mārkaṇḍeya’s Instruction

Devanagari script

युधिछिर उवाच सत्यं दानं क्षमा शीलमानृशंस्यं तपो घृणा । दृश्यन्ते यत्र नागेन्द्र स ब्राह्मण इति स्मृत:,युधिष्ठिरने कहा--नागराज! जिसमें सत्य, दान, क्षमा, सुशीलता, क्रूरताका अभाव, तपस्या और दया--से सद्गुण दिखायी देते हों, वही ब्राह्मण कहा गया है

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca satyaṃ dānaṃ kṣamā śīlam ānṛśaṃsyaṃ tapo ghṛṇā | dṛśyante yatra nāgendra sa brāhmaṇa iti smṛtaḥ ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O lord of serpents, the one in whom truthfulness, generosity, forbearance, good conduct, freedom from cruelty, austerity, and compassion are seen—such a person is remembered as a brāhmaṇa.”

Word by Word

युधिष्ठिरःYudhiṣṭhira

उवाचsaid

सत्यम्truthfulness

दानम्giving, charity

क्षमाforbearance, forgiveness

शीलम्good conduct, character

अनृशंस्यम्non-cruelty, compassion

तपःausterity, penance

घृणाpity, compassion

दृश्यन्तेare seen, are found

यत्रwhere

नागेन्द्रO lord of serpents

सःhe, that person

ब्राह्मणःa Brahmin

इतिthus

स्मृतःis considered/remembered (as)

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Nāgendra (king of nāgas / serpent-lord)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Sandhi Notes