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,जो द्विज अपने हाथोंको घुटनोंके भीतर किये मौनभावसे पात्रमें एक हाथ लगाये रखकर भोजन करता है, वह अपनेको और दूसरोंको तारनेमें समर्थ होता है

Transliteration

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

Translation

കൈകൾ മുട്ടിനകത്ത് ഒതുക്കി, മൗനത്തോടെ, പാത്രത്തിൽ മനസ്സ് ചേർത്ത് ഭക്ഷിക്കുന്ന ആ ദ്വിജൻ സ്വയം മാത്രമല്ല മറ്റുള്ളവരെയും കടത്തിവിടാൻ ശേഷിയുള്ളവനാണ്.

Word by Word

अन्तर्जानुशयःone whose hands are placed within the knees (knees enclosing the hands)

यःwho

तुbut/indeed

भुङ्क्तेeats

संसक्तभाजनःone whose bowl/vessel is held close/kept attached (kept close at hand)

यःwho

द्विजःa twice-born (brahmin)

शब्दरहितम्without sound; silently

सःhe

क्षमःcapable

तारणायfor saving/delivering (from sin)

वैindeed

यःwho

द्विजःa twice-born (brahmin)

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

dvija (brahmin)

bhājana (food-bowl/vessel)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

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.