Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 15

ब्रह्मस्वहरण-निषेधः — Prohibition of Appropriating Brahmin Property

Brahmasva

Devanagari script

नरकं त्रिंशतं प्राप्प स्वविष्ठामुपजीवति । श्वचर्यामभिमानं च सखिदारे च विप्लवम्‌

Transliteration

narakaṁ triṁśataṁ prāpya svaviṣṭhām upajīvati | śvacaryām abhimānaṁ ca sakhidāre ca viplavam ||

Translation

ତିରିଶଟି ନରକରେ ପତିତ ହୋଇ ସେ ନିଜ ମଳ ଖାଇ ଜୀବନ ଧାରଣ କରେ। ପରେ ସେ କୁକୁର ସଦୃଶ ଅବସ୍ଥାକୁ ଠେଲାଯାଏ; ମୋହଜନିତ ଅଭିମାନ ସହିତ ତାହାର ଗୃହସ୍ଥଜୀବନ ଓ ସଖ୍ୟତା ସବୁ ଉଲଟିପଡ଼ି ନଶ୍ଟ ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• नरकम्: hell
• नरकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• त्रिंशतम्: thirty (in number)
• त्रिंशतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिंशत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्राप्य: having reached/attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• स्वविष्ठाम्: one's own excrement
• स्वविष्ठाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वविष्ठा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• उपजीवति: lives on; subsists on
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-जीव्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• श्वचर्याम्: dog-like conduct/behavior
• श्वचर्याम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वचर्या
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अभिमानम्: pride; arrogance
• अभिमानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिमान
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सखिदारे: in (relation to) a friend's wife
• सखिदारे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखिदार
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• विप्लवम्: transgression; violation; misconduct
• विप्लवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्लव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

चाण्डाल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• चाण्डाल (Caṇḍāla)
• नरक (hell)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse stresses karmic retribution: unethical conduct leads to degrading consequences—both in post-mortem suffering (hells) and in the collapse of one’s dignity, pride, and social/domestic stability.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Caṇḍāla speaker describes the fate that befalls a wrongdoer: after experiencing multiple hells, he is reduced to a humiliating mode of existence and his relationships and household order are ruined.