Shloka 17
Adhyāya 39 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry on attachment (saṅga) and relational restraint
अभिमान: श्रियं हन्ति पुरुषस्याल्पमेधस: । गर्भेण दुष्यते कन्या गृहवासेन च द्विज:
abhimānaḥ śriyaṃ hanti puruṣasyālpamedhasaḥ | garbheṇa duṣyate kanyā gṛhavāsena ca dvijaḥ ||
ソーマは言った。「浅き知の者に宿る驕りは、その繁栄を滅ぼす。乙女は懐妊によって穢れたと見なされ、バラモンは常に家に住むことによって穢れたと見なされる。」この偈は、内なる慢心が福運と名誉を蝕むことを戒め、社会が認める「穢れ」の例を挙げて、節制・警戒・規律ある行いの必要を強調する。
सोम उवाच
Educational Q&A
Pride (abhimāna) undermines a person’s prosperity and standing; therefore one should cultivate humility and disciplined conduct. The verse reinforces this by citing culturally recognized cases of ‘taint’ to emphasize how certain actions or states can damage reputation and dharmic credibility.
In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-oriented discourse, Soma speaks a didactic maxim. He warns about the ethical danger of arrogance and illustrates the idea of moral/social ‘defilement’ through examples involving a maiden’s pregnancy and a Brahmin’s constant home-staying, urging vigilance in personal conduct.