Mahabharata 3.201.75 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 201, Shloka 75

Dharma-vyādha’s Analysis of Moral Decline and the Mahābhūta–Guṇa Schema (धर्मव्याधोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

अन्तर्जानुशयो यस्तु भुड्क्ते संसक्तभाजन: । यो द्विज: शब्दरहितं स क्षमस्तारणाय वै

Transliteration

antarjānuśayo yastu bhuṅkte saṃsaktabhājanaḥ | yo dvijaḥ śabdarahitaṃ sa kṣamastāraṇāya vai ||

Translation

ຢຸທິສຖິຣະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ພຣາຫມັນຜູ້ໃດກິນອາຫານດ້ວຍຄວາມສງົບ ດຶງມືໄວ້ພາຍໃນເຂົ່າ ແລະຈົ່ງໃຈຢູ່ກັບບາດຂອງຕົນ ຜູ້ນັ້ນແທ້ຈິງສາມາດ ‘ນຳຂ້າມຝັ່ງ’—ຊ່ວຍຕົນເອງໃຫ້ພົ້ນ ແລະເກື້ອກູນຜູ້ອື່ນດ້ວຍ.»

Word by Word

• अन्तर्जानुशयः: one whose hands are placed within the knees (knees enclosing the hands)
• अन्तर्जानुशयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तर्जानुशय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• भुङ्क्ते: eats
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• संसक्तभाजनः: one whose bowl/vessel is held close/kept attached (kept close at hand)
• संसक्तभाजनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संसक्तभाजन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्विजः: a twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शब्दरहितम्: without sound; silently
• शब्दरहितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शब्दरहित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षमः: capable
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तारणाय: for saving/delivering (from sin)
• तारणाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारण
• Form: Neuter, Dative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्विजः: a twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• dvija (brahmin)
• bhājana (food-bowl/vessel)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Inner restraint expressed through quiet, disciplined behavior—especially during basic acts like eating—signals mastery over the senses. Such self-control is presented as spiritually efficacious, enabling one to uplift oneself and serve as a support for others.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Yudhiṣṭhira’s discourse on dharma and proper conduct, he highlights a model brahmin whose silent, composed manner of eating exemplifies ascetic discipline. The verse uses this concrete behavioral marker to indicate a person’s fitness for spiritual ‘deliverance’ and guidance.