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Shloka 15

Ṛṣabhadeva Instructs His Sons: Tapasya, Mahātmā-Sevā, and Cutting the Heart-Knot

पुत्रांश्च शिष्यांश्च नृपो गुरुर्वा मल्लोककामो मदनुग्रहार्थ: । इत्थं विमन्युरनुशिष्यादतज्ज्ञान् न योजयेत्कर्मसु कर्ममूढान् । कं योजयन्मनुजोऽर्थं लभेत निपातयन्नष्टद‍ृशं हि गर्ते ॥ १५ ॥

putrāṁś ca śiṣyāṁś ca nṛpo gurur vā mal-loka-kāmo mad-anugrahārthaḥ itthaṁ vimanyur anuśiṣyād ataj-jñān na yojayet karmasu karma-mūḍhān kaṁ yojayan manujo ’rthaṁ labheta nipātayan naṣṭa-dṛśaṁ hi garte

ദൈവത്തിങ്കലേക്ക് തിരിച്ചുപോകുന്നതിൽ ഒരാൾ ഗൗരവമുള്ളവനാണെങ്കിൽ, അവൻ പരമപുരുഷന്റെ കാരുണ്യത്തെ ജീവിതത്തിന്റെ പരമമായ ലക്ഷ്യമായി കണക്കാക്കണം. കാമ്യകർമ്മങ്ങളിൽ ഏർപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്ന അജ്ഞരായ ആളുകളെ എല്ലാവിധത്തിലും ഭക്തിസേവനത്തിൽ ഏർപ്പെടുത്തണം.

पुत्रान्sons
पुत्रान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (समुच्चय-अव्यय)
शिष्यान्disciples
शिष्यान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootशिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (समुच्चय-अव्यय)
नृपःa king
नृपः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootनृप (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
गुरुःa teacher
गुरुः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootगुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
वाor
वा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
FormDisjunctive particle (विकल्प-अव्यय)
मल्लोककामःdesiring my abode/world
मल्लोककामः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootमत् + लोक + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः: मम लोकः (मल्लोकः) + कामः = desiring my world
मदनुग्रहार्थःfor the sake of my favor
मदनुग्रहार्थः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootमत् + अनुग्रह + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः: मदनुग्रहस्य अर्थः = for the sake of my grace
इत्थम्thus
इत्थम्:
Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइत्थम् (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय)
विमन्युःwithout anger/resentment
विमन्युः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootविमन्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
अनुशिष्यात्should instruct
अनुशिष्यात्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअनु + √शास् (धातु)
FormOptative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada
अतज्ज्ञान्those who do not know the truth
अतज्ज्ञान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootअ + तत् + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); कर्मधारयः: अतत्-ज्ञ = not knowing that (truth)
not
:
Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)
योजयेत्should engage
योजयेत्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√युज् (धातु)
FormOptative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); causative sense in context 'should engage/assign'
कर्मसुin actions/ritual works
कर्मसु:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)
कर्ममूढान्those deluded by/into karma
कर्ममूढान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootकर्म + मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः: कर्मणि मूढः = deluded about karma
कम्whom?
कम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormInterrogative pronoun (प्रश्न-सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
योजयन्engaging (someone)
योजयन्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Root√युज् (धातु)
FormPresent active participle (शतृ), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
मनुजःa man/person
मनुजः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमनुज (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
अर्थम्benefit/goal
अर्थम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootअर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
लभेतwould obtain
लभेत:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√लभ् (धातु)
FormOptative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); ātmanepada
निपातयन्causing to fall
निपातयन्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootनि + √पत् (धातु)
FormPresent active participle (शतृ), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
नष्टदृशम्a blind man
नष्टदृशम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootनष्ट + दृश् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारयः: नष्टा दृक् यस्य = one whose sight is lost
हिindeed
हि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
FormEmphatic particle (निपात/अव्यय)
गर्तेin a pit
गर्ते:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootगर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

It is stated in Bhagavad-gītā (3.26) :

Ṛṣabhadeva

FAQs

This verse says a true guru or ruler should not push the ignorant—those deluded by fruitive work—into more karma, because it only leads them deeper into danger, like falling into a pit.

Ṛṣabhadeva teaches that leaders who seek the Lord’s mercy must continue to educate and discipline dependents for their spiritual welfare, even if it requires stern guidance.

Don’t encourage blind busyness and reward-only thinking; instead, guide yourself and others toward clarity, values, and spiritual purpose—so work becomes uplifting rather than degrading.