Shloka 16

Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption

Devanagari script

तस्मान्न्यायागतैरर्थर्धर्म सेवेत पण्डित:

Transliteration

tasmān nyāyāgatair arthair dharmaṁ seveta paṇḍitaḥ

Translation

അതുകൊണ്ട് പണ്ഡിതൻ ന്യായസമ്മതവും നിയമാനുസൃതവുമായ മാർഗ്ഗങ്ങളിൽ ലഭിച്ച ധനത്താൽ ധർമ്മത്തെ സേവിക്കുകയും നിലനിർത്തുകയും വേണം।

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• न्यायागतैः: by (means) obtained through justice/rightful means
• न्यायागतैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न्यायागत
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अर्थैः: with wealth/means
• अर्थैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• धर्मम्: dharma/righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सेवेत: should practice/should pursue
• सेवेत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• पण्डितः: a wise man/scholar
• पण्डितः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पण्डित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma should be practiced and supported only through resources gained by just and legitimate means; the purity of the means matters as much as the goal.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-focused dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a principle of ethical conduct: a wise person should serve dharma using wealth acquired through nyāya (justice), aligning moral action with rightful livelihood.