Shloka 31

Dietary Rules & Purification — Dietary Rules, Purification (Śauca), and the Duties of the Householder and Forest-Dweller

Devanagari script

यः परेषां हि मर्माणि निकृन्तन्निव भाषते नित्यं परगुणद्वेषी स श्वान इति कथ्यते

Transliteration

yaḥ pareṣāṃ hi marmāṇi nikṛntanniva bhāṣate nityaṃ paraguṇadveṣī sa śvāna iti kathyate

Translation

他人の急所（マルマン）を切り裂くかのように語り、つねに他者の美徳を憎む者は、「犬」と呼ばれる。

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परेषाम्: of others
• परेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: सम्बन्ध (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/causal nuance)

• मर्माणि: vital points/secrets
• मर्माणि: कर्म (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• निकृन्तन्: as if cutting
• निकृन्तन्: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + कृन्त् (धातु) → निकृन्तत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘cutting’—उपमानार्थे ‘इव’ सह

• इव: as if/like
• इव: उपमा
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• भाषते: speaks
• भाषते: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: भाष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: काल/नित्यत्व (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (accusative used adverbially)

• परगुणद्वेषी: one who hates others' virtues
• परगुणद्वेषी: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर + गुण + द्वेषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: परेषां गुणेषु द्वेषी

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्वान्: a dog
• श्वान्: विधेय (predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (प्रातिपदिक: श्वन्; रूप: श्वान्)

• इति: thus/as
• इति: वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• कथ्यते: is called/said
• कथ्यते: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speakers

• Likely Pulastya speaking to Nārada (standard Vāmana Purāṇa frame; not explicit in input)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Right speech (vāṅ-niyama)
• Non-injury (ahiṃsā) through speech
• Condemnation of slander/envy

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "raudra", "secondaryRasa": "bibhatsa", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Speech can be a form of violence. Targeting others’ vulnerabilities and resenting their virtues is treated as a moral degradation equivalent to animal-like behavior; dharma requires restraint, truthfulness, and goodwill.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Like many Purāṇas, the Vāmana Purāṇa includes dharma instruction beyond pancalakṣaṇa. This verse is nīti-śikṣā (ethical teaching) embedded in the narrative setting.

What is the symbolic significance?

The “dog” symbolizes biting, shameless aggression—speech that tears at the ‘marmas’ of others. The metaphor warns that envy of virtue corrodes one’s own character.