Shloka 34
अव्यक्त-प्रबोधः (Awakening to the Unmanifest): The 25th and 26th Principles and Eligibility for Brahma-vidyā
जात्या प्रधान पुरुष कुर्वाणं कर्म धिकृकृतम् । कर्म तद् दूषयत्येनं तस्मात् कर्म न शोभनम्
jātyā pradhāna-puruṣa kurvāṇaṃ karma dhik-kṛtam | karma tad dūṣayaty enaṃ tasmāt karma na śobhanam ||
Parāśara berkata: “Apabila seseorang, kerana kelahiran, dianggap daripada golongan tinggi (pradhāna) namun melakukan perbuatan yang hina, perbuatan itulah yang menodainya. Maka tindakan sedemikian tidaklah wajar, kerana ia merendahkan pelakunya dan meruntuhkan maruah yang dituntut oleh kedudukannya.”
पराशर उवाच
Educational Q&A
A blameworthy act does not remain isolated; it morally taints the agent. Hence one should avoid actions that are ‘unbecoming’, especially when one’s position (pradhānatā) carries higher expectations of restraint and integrity.
In Śānti Parva’s didactic discourse, Parāśara is instructing on dharma and proper conduct, emphasizing that ignoble deeds corrupt the doer and are therefore to be rejected.