Shloka 19

कपिल–स्यूमरश्मि संवादः

Kapila and Syūmaraśmi on Renunciation, Householder Support, and Epistemic Authority

Devanagari script

जैसे सब लोग मौतके मुखमें जानेसे डरते हैं

Transliteration

tulādhāra uvāca | yathā sarve janā mṛtyoḥ mukhe gantuṁ bibhyati, tathā yasya smaraṇamātreṇa sarve janā udvignā bhavanti, yaś ca kaṭuvākya-vaktā daṇḍe ca kaṭhoraḥ, sa mahad bhayaṁ pratipadyate | yathāvad vartamānānāṁ vṛddhānāṁ putra-pautriṇām | anuvartāmahe vṛttam ahiṁsrāṇāṁ mahātmanām ||

Translation

Tulādhāra berkata: Sebagaimana semua orang takut melangkah ke dalam mulut maut, demikian juga seorang lelaki yang sekadar diingati pun membuat semua orang resah—yang bertutur kasar dan keras dalam menghukum—pasti akan berhadapan dengan ketakutan besar. Adapun aku, aku menuruti laku para tua yang berjiwa agung, yang hidup benar menurut aturan dharma, dikurniai anak dan cucu, serta tidak mencederakan mana-mana makhluk hidup.

Word by Word

• यथावत्: properly, duly, as prescribed
• यथावत्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत्
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable adverb)

• वर्तमानानाम्: of those who are behaving/acting (properly)
• वर्तमानानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्तमान (वर्त् धातु से वर्तमान-)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter Genitive Plural (agreeing with वृद्धानाम्/महात्मनाम् by sense)

• वृद्धानाम्: of the elders
• वृद्धानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध
• Form: Masculine Genitive Plural

• पुत्रपौत्रिणाम्: of those having sons and grandsons
• पुत्रपौत्रिणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्रपौत्रिन्
• Form: Masculine Genitive Plural

• अनुवर्तामहे: we follow, we conform to
• अनुवर्तामहे: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु√वृत्
• Form: Present tense, Atmanepada, 1st person plural

• वृत्तम्: conduct, behavior, practice
• वृत्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्त
• Form: Neuter Accusative Singular

• अहिंस्राणाम्: of the non-violent (those who do not harm)
• अहिंस्राणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहिंस्र
• Form: Masculine Genitive Plural

• महात्मनाम्: of the great-souled ones
• महात्मनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine Genitive Plural

Speaker

तुलाधार उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Tulādhāra
• mṛtyu (Death)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Harshness—whether in speech or in punitive severity—creates fear in others and rebounds as great fear for the harsh person; the recommended model is the dharmic conduct of non-violent, disciplined elders who live according to śāstra.

What is happening in the narrative?

Tulādhāra is instructing his interlocutor by contrasting two life-patterns: the feared, harsh punisher whose presence unsettles society, and the exemplary elders who practice prescribed conduct and ahiṁsā; he declares that he follows the latter.