Shloka 30

Skanda-janma: Śivā/Svāhā, Agni, and the Manifestation of Guha

Mahābhārata 3.214

Devanagari script

आनुृ्‌शंस्य॑ं परो धर्म: क्षमा च परमं बलम्‌ | आत्मज्ञानं परं ज्ञानं सत्यं व्रतपरं ब्रतम्‌,क्रूरताका अभाव (दया) सबसे महान धर्म है, क्षमा सबसे बड़ा बल है, सत्य सबसे उत्तम व्रत है और परमात्माके तत्त्वका ज्ञान ही सर्वोत्तम ज्ञान है

Transliteration

ānṛśaṁsyaṁ paro dharmaḥ kṣamā ca paramaṁ balam | ātmajñānaṁ paraṁ jñānaṁ satyaṁ vrataparaṁ vratam ||

Translation

करुणा व क्रौर्याचा अभाव हाच परम धर्म; क्षमा हे परम बळ. आत्मज्ञान हे सर्वोच्च ज्ञान, आणि सत्य हे व्रतांतील श्रेष्ठ व्रत आहे.

Word by Word

आनृशंस्यम्compassion, non-cruelty

परःsupreme, highest

धर्मःdharma, righteousness

क्षमाforbearance, forgiveness

चand

परमम्supreme, greatest

बलम्strength, power

आत्मज्ञानम्knowledge of the self

परम्supreme, highest

ज्ञानम्knowledge

सत्यम्truth

व्रतपरम्having vow as its highest (i.e., the best vow)

व्रतम्vow, observance

Speaker

व्याध उवाच

Characters & Entities

vyādha (the hunter)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse ranks key virtues: compassion (non-cruelty) as the highest dharma, forgiveness as true strength, self-knowledge as the highest wisdom, and truthfulness as the supreme vow—presenting an ethical hierarchy grounded in inner mastery rather than outward power.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Vana Parva’s dialogue associated with the righteous hunter (vyādha), he instructs a seeker on what truly constitutes dharma, emphasizing everyday moral conduct and inner realization over mere external status or ritual display.