Mahabharata 1.74.75 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 74, Shloka 75
अध्याय ७४: अक्रोध–क्षमा–निवासनीति
Chapter 74: Non-anger, Forbearance, and the Ethics of Residence
स चापि निरनुक्रोश: क्षत्रयोनि: पिता तव | विश्वामित्रो ब्राह्मणत्वे लुब्ध: कामवशं गत:
sa cāpi niranukrośaḥ kṣatrayoniḥ pitā tava | viśvāmitro brāhmaṇatve lubdhaḥ kāmavaśaṃ gataḥ ||
«ແລະພໍ່ຂອງເຈົ້າດ້ວຍ—ເກີດໃນສາຍກະສັດກະສັດຕຣິຍະ—ກໍເຫັນຄືຈະໄຮ້ເມດຕາ: ວິສະວາມິດຕະ ຜູ້ໂລບຢາກໄດ້ສະຖານະພຣາຫມັນ ເມື່ອເຫັນເມນະກາກໍຕົກຢູ່ໃຕ້ອໍານາດແຫ່ງຕັນຫາ»។
दुष्यन्त उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical critique: even a great ascetic’s pursuit of spiritual status (brāhmaṇatva) can be undermined by unchecked desire (kāma). It implicitly contrasts true dharma—marked by self-control and compassion—with ambition and sensual weakness.
Duṣyanta speaks pointedly about Śakuntalā’s parentage, remarking that her father Viśvāmitra—though striving for Brahminhood—became overpowered by desire upon seeing Menakā, and thus appears ‘without compassion.’ The line functions as a sharp moral observation within the surrounding discussion of lineage and conduct.
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