Shloka 46
कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः
Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma
करभारभयाद् भीता गृहस्था: परिमोषका: | मुनिच्छञाकृतिच्छन्ना वाणिज्यमुपजीविन:
karabhārabhayād bhītā gṛhasthāḥ parimoṣakāḥ | municchadākṛticchannā vāṇijyam upajīvinaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Frightened by the danger of having to bear heavy burdens, those robbers lived outwardly as householders. Disguised under the appearance of ascetics, they made their livelihood through trade—using respectable roles as a cover for theft.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights adharma through hypocrisy: criminals adopt socially respected identities (householder, ascetic, merchant) as a protective disguise. It warns that outward marks of dharma can be misused, so ethical judgment must consider conduct, not merely appearance.
Vaiśampāyana describes a group of robbers who, fearing the risks of overt banditry and hard carrying-work, conceal their true nature. They present themselves as respectable householders and even as ascetics in appearance, while sustaining themselves through trade as a cover.