Shloka 32

Go-apahāra (Cattle Theft), Go-dāna (Cow-Gift), and Suvarṇa-dakṣiṇā (Gold Fee): Karmic Consequence and Purificatory Merit

Devanagari script

सता समागम: सद्िर्नाफल: पार्थ विद्यते | विमुक्तं नरकात्‌ पश्य नृगं साधुसमागमात्‌

Transliteration

satā samāgamaḥ sadbhir nāphalaḥ pārtha vidyate | vimuktaṃ narakāt paśya nṛgaṃ sādhusamāgamāt ||

Translation

ഹേ പാർഥാ, സജ്ജനങ്ങളുമായുള്ള സമാഗമം ഒരിക്കലും ഫലഹീനമല്ല. നോക്കുക—സാധുസമാഗമം മൂലം രാജാവ് നൃഗൻ നരകത്തിൽ നിന്ന് വിമുക്തനായി.

Word by Word

• सताम्: of the good (people)
• सताम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• समागमः: association/meeting
• समागमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: समागम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सद्भिः: by/with the good (people)
• सद्भिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अफलः: fruitless
• अफलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अफल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पार्थ: O Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थ: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• विद्यते: exists/is found
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु) / √विद् (सत्तायाम्) → विद्यते
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• विमुक्तम्: released/freed
• विमुक्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + मुच् (धातु) → विमुक्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नरकात्: from hell
• नरकात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• पश्य: see/behold
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु) → पश्य
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• नृगम्: Nṛga (proper name)
• नृगम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• साधु-समागमात्: from association with the virtuous
• साधु-समागमात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक) + समागम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• पार्थ (Arjuna)
• नृग (King Nṛga)
• नरक (hell)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that satsanga—association with virtuous people—inevitably yields beneficial results. It can purify one’s destiny and even undo severe karmic suffering, illustrating the transformative power of moral company.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brāhmaṇa speaker addresses Pārtha (Arjuna) and points to King Nṛga as an example: Nṛga is said to have been released from hell due to contact with righteous persons, offered as evidence that meeting the good is never in vain.