Shloka 20

Prāyaścitta-vidhāna: Tapas, Dāna, Vrata, and Proportional Expiation (प्रायश्चित्तविधानम्)

Devanagari script

दश वा वेदशास्त्रज्ञास्त्रयो वा धर्मपाठका: । यद्‌ ब्रूयु: कार्य उत्पन्ने स धर्मो धर्मसंशये

Transliteration

daśa vā vedaśāstrajñās trayo vā dharmapāṭhakāḥ | yad brūyuḥ kārya utpanne sa dharmo dharmasaṃśaye ||

Translation

ବ୍ୟାସ କହିଲେ—କୌଣସି କାର୍ଯ୍ୟପ୍ରସଙ୍ଗ ଉପସ୍ଥିତ ହୋଇ ଧର୍ମନିର୍ଣ୍ଣୟରେ ସନ୍ଦେହ ହେଲେ, ବିଶେଷକରି ପ୍ରାୟଶ୍ଚିତ୍ତ ବିଷୟରେ, ବେଦ-ଶାସ୍ତ୍ରଜ୍ଞ ଦଶଜଣ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ କିମ୍ବା ନିତ୍ୟ ଧର୍ମପାଠ-ବିଚାରରେ ନିମଗ୍ନ ତିନିଜଣ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ଆଲୋଚନା କରି ଯାହା କହନ୍ତି, ସେହିକୁ ଧର୍ମ ଭାବେ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିବା ଉଚିତ।

Word by Word

• दश: ten
• दश: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• वेदशास्त्रज्ञाः: knowers of the Veda and śāstra
• वेदशास्त्रज्ञाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदशास्त्रज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• त्रयः: three
• त्रयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• धर्मपाठकाः: reciters/teachers of dharma (texts)
• धर्मपाठकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मपाठक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ब्रूयुः: they should say/declare
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• कार्ये: in a matter/case
• कार्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• उत्पन्ने: that has arisen
• उत्पन्ने: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्पन्न
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• सः: that (indeed)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मः: dharma; right course
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मसंशये: in doubt about dharma
• धर्मसंशये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मसंशय
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Brāhmaṇas
• Veda
• Dharmaśāstra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When dharma is uncertain in a real-life situation—especially regarding expiation—one should rely on a qualified collective judgment: either ten experts in Veda and śāstra, or three dedicated specialists in dharma-study. Their considered verdict is to be treated as dharma for that case.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct, Vyāsa lays down a practical rule for resolving moral-legal ambiguity: when texts or circumstances leave doubt, consult a competent council of learned Brāhmaṇas and accept their deliberated decision as the applicable dharma.