Shloka 6

परिव्राजक-आचारः (Conduct of the Wandering Renunciant) — Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 269

Devanagari script

अनश्रिता: पापकर्म कदाचित्‌ कर्मयोगिन: । मन: संकल्पसंसिद्धा विशुद्धज्ञाननिश्चया:

Transliteration

anāśritāḥ pāpakarma kadācit karmayoginaḥ | manaḥ-saṅkalpa-saṁsiddhā viśuddha-jñāna-niścayāḥ ||

Translation

കപിലൻ പറഞ്ഞു—കർമയോഗികൾ ഒരിക്കലും പാപകർമ്മത്തെ ആശ്രയിക്കുകയില്ല. ശാസ്ത്രീയമായ കർമാനുഷ്ഠാനവും നൈതിക സംയമനവും ആധാരമായ ജീവിതം കൊണ്ടു അവരുടെ മനസ്സിലെ സംकल्पം ക്രമേണ സിദ്ധിയും പരിപാകവും പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു; അപ്പോൾ വിശുദ്ധജ്ഞാനം—പരമതത്ത്വത്തെക്കുറിച്ചുള്ള വ്യക്തത—എന്നതിൽ ദൃഢനിശ്ചയം ലഭിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• अनश्रिताः: not resorting to / not dependent on
• अनश्रिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनाश्रित (आ-श्रि धातु से, नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पापकर्म: sinful action
• पापकर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पापकर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कदाचित्: ever / at any time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित्
• Form: true

• कर्मयोगिनः: practitioners of karma-yoga
• कर्मयोगिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मयोगिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मनः: of the mind
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• संकल्प: of resolve / intention
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकल्प
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• संसिद्धाः: fully accomplished / perfected
• संसिद्धाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संसिद्ध (सम्-सिध् धातु से क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विशुद्ध: of pure / purified
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशुद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• ज्ञान: of knowledge
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• निश्चयाः: having firm conviction
• निश्चयाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

कपिल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kapila

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Kapila teaches that a true practitioner of karma-yoga never takes support of unethical or sinful actions. By sustained right action and inner discipline, one’s mental resolve becomes effective and fulfilled, culminating in steady conviction in purified spiritual knowledge—insight into the highest truth.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Kapila is delivering a doctrinal discourse. This verse characterizes the karma-yogin: morally restrained, unwavering in practice, and gradually attaining inner success (saṅkalpa-siddhi) and firm certainty in pure knowledge.