Shloka 26
Dharma of the Renunciant: Alms Discipline, Meditation, and Expiations
परमापद्गतेनापि न कार्यं स्तेयमन्यतः । स्तेयादभ्यधिकः कश्चिन्नास्त्यधर्म इति स्मृतिः
paramāpadgatenāpi na kāryaṃ steyamanyataḥ | steyādabhyadhikaḥ kaścinnāstyadharma iti smṛtiḥ
Walau terjatuh dalam kesusahan yang paling berat, janganlah mencuri harta orang lain; Smṛti menyatakan tiada adharma yang lebih besar daripada kecurian.
Not explicitly stated in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses).
Concept: Even in extreme distress, theft is forbidden; it is declared the gravest adharma.
Application: In hardship, seek lawful aid, honest labor, and community support rather than stealing; cultivate contentment and trust in providence while acting responsibly.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A destitute man stands at the threshold of a granary at dusk, hand trembling toward a lock, while an unseen moral force—visualized as a faint Vishnu-disc aura or dharma-scale—halts him. A sage in the background raises a palm in prohibition, emphasizing that even desperation cannot justify theft.","primary_figures":["sage admonisher","destitute householder","symbolic Vishnu-chakra aura (non-anthropomorphic)"],"setting":"village edge near a granary and banyan tree, dusk sky, sparse belongings on the ground","lighting_mood":"golden dusk with ominous shadows","color_palette":["burnt umber","dusky gold","storm violet","earth brown","pale ash"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic moral tableau—sage with raised hand of prohibition, a man at a granary door, and a stylized golden chakra aura hovering as dharma’s witness; gold leaf on chakra and borders, rich reds/greens contrasted with dark shadows; traditional iconographic clarity with moral symbolism.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: dusk village scene with delicate lines; the would-be thief paused mid-step, sage under a banyan tree; cool purples and browns, refined faces showing inner conflict; distant hills and a thin path suggesting the hard road of dharma.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, expressive eyes; the sage’s gesture dominates, the granary rendered in flat perspective; red/yellow/green palette with dark indigo shadows; a stylized chakra motif as a moral emblem.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic composition with ornate borders; central scene of prohibition of theft, surrounded by motifs of scales, lotus, and protective chakra patterns; deep blue ground with gold highlights, peacocks subdued to keep the tone stern."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low temple drum","distant thunder","stern bell strike","wind through banyan leaves","brief silence after the warning"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: parama + āpad + gatena + api → paramāpadgatenāpi; steyam + anyataḥ → steyamanyataḥ; steyāt + abhyadhikaḥ → steyādabhyadhikaḥ; kaścit + na + asti → kaścinnāsti
FAQs
It teaches that theft is never justified—even under severe hardship—and is treated as one of the gravest forms of adharma.
“Smṛti” refers to the remembered ethical-legal tradition; the verse anchors its moral claim in established dharma literature rather than personal opinion.
No. The wording explicitly says that even in “paramāpad” (extreme calamity), one should not steal from others.