Shloka 19

Devanagari script

प्रमाणाद्धि निवृत्तो हि वेदशास्त्रार्थनिन्दक: । कामलोभातिगो मूढो नरकं प्रतिपद्यते,जो मूर्ख प्रमाणोंकी ओरसे मुँह मोड़ लेता है, वेद और शास्त्रोंके सिद्धान्तकी निन्दा करता है तथा काम एवं लोभके अत्यन्त परायण है, वह नरकमें पड़ता है

Transliteration

pramāṇāddhi nivṛtto hi vedaśāstrārthanindakaḥ | kāmalobhātigo mūḍho narakaṃ pratipadyate ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: One who turns away from valid means of knowledge, who disparages the true purport of the Vedas and the śāstras, and who—deluded—becomes utterly driven by desire and greed, falls into hell. The verse warns that rejecting authoritative guidance and surrendering to unchecked impulses leads to moral ruin and grievous consequences.

Word by Word

प्रमाणात्from valid authority/proof

हिindeed/for

निवृत्तःturned away/withdrawn

हिindeed

वेदशास्त्रार्थनिन्दकःa reviler of the meaning/doctrine of the Veda and śāstra

कामलोभातिगःone who is excessively given to desire and greed

मूढःdeluded/foolish

नरकम्hell

प्रतिपद्यतेattains/enters

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Veda

Śāstra

Naraka

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?

The verse teaches that abandoning reliable standards of knowledge (pramāṇa), ridiculing the intended meaning of the Vedas and śāstras, and living under the domination of desire and greed is a mark of delusion and leads to severe moral and karmic consequences, described here as falling into naraka.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Vana Parva context, Yudhiṣṭhira is articulating a dharma-centered warning: he characterizes the spiritually and ethically dangerous mindset of one who rejects authoritative guidance and becomes ruled by kāma and lobha, emphasizing the downfall that follows such conduct.