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Shloka 10

Draupadī’s Lament and Theodicy: Dharma, Dice, and Īśvara’s Governance (Āraṇyaka-parva 31)

पापीयान्‌ स हि शूद्रेभ्यस्तस्करेभ्यो विशिष्यते । शास्त्रातिगो मन्दबुद्धियों धर्ममभिशड्गकते,जो मन्दबुद्धि पुरुष शास्त्रोंकी मर्यादाका उल्लंघन करके धर्मके विषयमें आशंका करता है, वह शूद्रों और चोरोंसे भी बढ़कर पापी है

pāpīyān sa hi śūdrebyas taskarebhyo viśiṣyate | śāstrātigo mandabuddhir dharmam abhiśaṅkate ||

ユディシュティラは言った。「まことに、シャーストラ(śāstra)の定める限界を踏み越え、そののちダルマ(dharma)に疑いを投げかける愚鈍な者こそ、いっそう罪深い。彼の不義はシュードラ(śūdra)や盗賊すら凌ぐ。権威ある教えを破り、正しさを疑うことで、道徳秩序の根基そのものを揺るがすからである。」

pāpīyānmore sinful
pāpīyān:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootpāpa
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, Comparative
saḥhe
saḥ:
Karta
TypePronoun
Roottad
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
hiindeed/for
hi:
TypeIndeclinable
Roothi
śūdrebhyaḥthan (from) Śūdras
śūdrebhyaḥ:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootśūdra
FormMasculine, Ablative, Plural
taskarebhyaḥthan (from) thieves
taskarebhyaḥ:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Roottaskara
FormMasculine, Ablative, Plural
viśiṣyateis distinguished/excels
viśiṣyate:
TypeVerb
Rootvi-śiṣ
FormPresent, Ātmanepada, Third, Singular
śāstra-atigaḥone who transgresses the śāstra
śāstra-atigaḥ:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootśāstra-atiga
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
manda-buddhiḥa dull-witted person
manda-buddhiḥ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootmanda-buddhi
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
dharmaṃdharma
dharmaṃ:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootdharma
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
abhiśaṅkatesuspects/doubts
abhiśaṅkate:
TypeVerb
Rootabhi-śaṅk
FormPresent, Ātmanepada, Third, Singular

युधिछिर उवाच

Y
Yudhiṣṭhira
Ś
śūdra
T
taskara (thief)
Ś
śāstra
D
dharma

Educational Q&A

The verse warns that violating authoritative moral guidance (śāstra) and then doubting or maligning dharma is a grave fault. Such skepticism born of transgression is portrayed as more harmful than ordinary social or criminal wrongdoing because it destabilizes ethical order.

Yudhiṣṭhira is speaking in a reflective, didactic mode, evaluating degrees of sin and emphasizing reverence for dharma as understood through śāstra. He contrasts common categories of wrongdoing (theft, low conduct) with the deeper danger of rejecting or suspecting dharma after crossing prescribed limits.