Shloka 16

Śibi’s Weighing of Dharma

The Hawk and the Dove Trial) — शिबेर्धर्मतुला (श्येन-कपोतोक्तिः

Devanagari script

यजन्ते याजका: सम्यक्‌ परिवारं शुभार्थिन: । अन्रोपस्पृश्य सरसि श्रद्दधानो जितेन्द्रिय:

Transliteration

yajante yājakāḥ samyak parivāraṃ śubhārthinaḥ | anropaspṛśya sarasi śraddadhāno jitendriyaḥ ||

Translation

ローマシャは言った。「吉祥の果を求めて、祭式を司る祭官たちは、従者と必要な供物・器具をことごとく備え、正しく供犠を執り行う。湖に沐浴し、作法にかなって水に触れたのち、信心深く諸根を制した者は、その儀礼をさらに進めるのだ。」

Word by Word

यजन्तेthey sacrifice/worship

याजकाःpriests/sacrificers

सम्यक्properly, duly

परिवारम्retinue, attendants, household

शुभार्थिनःseeking auspiciousness/benefit

अन्रोपस्पृश्यwithout touching (others); not contacting

सरसिin a lake/pond

श्रद्दधानःfaithful, trusting

जितेन्द्रियःhaving conquered the senses, self-controlled

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

Lośa (speaker)

yājakāḥ (priests/officiants)

sarasi (a lake/pond)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ritual action bears fruit when performed correctly (samyak), with faith (śraddhā) and self-restraint (jitendriya). External purity (bathing/touching water) is paired with inner discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Lośa describes the proper conduct of sacrificial performance: priests carry out the yajña with its full accompaniment, and the participant prepares through water-purification at a lake, acting with faith and controlled senses.