Shloka 14

धन-राजधर्म संवादः

Discourse on Wealth and Royal Duty

Devanagari script

अभिशस्तं प्रपश्यन्ति दरिद्रं पार्श्वतः स्थितम्‌ दरिद्रं पातकं लोके न तच्छ॑सितुमरहति

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca | abhiśastaṃ prapaśyanti daridraṃ pārśvataḥ sthitam | daridraṃ pātakaṃ loke na tac chaṃsitum arhati ||

Translation

ଦରିଦ୍ର ମଣିଷ ପାଖରେ ଦାଁଡ଼ିଲେ ଲୋକେ ତାକୁ ଏମିତି ଦେଖନ୍ତି, ଯେନେ ସେ ଅଭିଯୁକ୍ତ ଓ କଳଙ୍କିତ। ଏହି ଲୋକରେ ଦାରିଦ୍ର୍ୟକୁ ପାତକ ସମାନ ମନାଯାଏ; ତେଣୁ ମୋ ସମ୍ମୁଖରେ ଦାରିଦ୍ର୍ୟର ପ୍ରଶଂସା କରନ୍ତୁ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• अभिशस्तम्: accursed, censured
• अभिशस्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभिशस्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रपश्यन्ति: they see, they look at
• प्रपश्यन्ति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√पश् (पश्य)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• दरिद्रम्: a poor man; the poor
• दरिद्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दरिद्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पार्श्वतः: at the side, nearby
• पार्श्वतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पार्श्व

• स्थितम्: standing, situated
• स्थितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्था (स्थित)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दरिद्रम्: poverty
• दरिद्रम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दरिद्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• पातकम्: a sin, a grave fault
• पातकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातक
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• तत्: that (thing)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शंसितुम्: to praise, to commend
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शंस्
• Form: Infinitive (Tumun)

• अर्हति: is fit, deserves
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्ह्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

अर्जुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how society often treats poverty as a moral stain, equating material deprivation with blame and dishonor; it implicitly critiques this ethical failure and rejects romanticizing poverty when it results in humiliation and exclusion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna responds to a discussion by stating that a poor person, even when merely standing nearby, is viewed with suspicion and contempt; therefore, Arjuna asks that poverty not be presented to him as something worthy of praise.