Shloka 463

कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः

Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma

Devanagari script

मिथ्या च नखरोमाणि धारयन्ति तदा द्विजा: । गृहस्थलोग करके भारसे डरकर लुटेरे बन जायाँगे। ब्राह्मण मुनियों-जैसी कपटपूर्ण आकृति धारण किये वैश्यवृत्तिसे जीविका चलायेंगे और झूठे दिखावेके लिये नख तथा दाढ़ी-मूछ धारण करेंगे

Transliteration

mithyā ca nakharomāṇi dhārayanti tadā dvijāḥ |

Translation

ସେହି ଯୁଗରେ ଦ୍ୱିଜମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ କପଟରେ ନଖ ଓ କେଶ ଧାରଣ କରିବେ—କେବଳ ଦେଖାଦେଖି ପାଇଁ। ଗୃହସ୍ଥାଶ୍ରମର ଭାରକୁ ଭୟ କରି ଲୋକେ ଲୁଟେରା ହେବେ; ମୁନି-ସଦୃଶ ପାଖଣ୍ଡୀ ବେଶ ଧରି ବୈଶ୍ୟବୃତ୍ତିରେ ଜୀବିକା ଚାଲାଇବେ ଏବଂ ମିଥ୍ୟା ଆଡମ୍ବର ପାଇଁ ନଖ ଓ ଦାଢ଼ି-ମୁଛ ବଢ଼ାଇବେ।

Word by Word

• मिथ्या: falsely, in vain/for show
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मिथ्या

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

• नखरोमाणि: nails and hair (body-hair)
• नखरोमाणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नखरोमन् (नख + रोमन्)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• धारयन्ति: they wear/keep/maintain
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ
• Form: Present, Indicative, Parasmaipada, Third, Plural

• तदा: then, at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• द्विजाः: twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
• द्विजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• dvijāḥ (twice-born)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse criticizes hypocrisy: when inner discipline and dharma decline, people preserve only external religious markers (like hair, nails, beard) as a deceptive display, using them to gain social trust while pursuing improper livelihoods.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing degenerative social and moral conditions characteristic of a dark age: fear, avoidance of rightful duties, and the adoption of false ascetic appearances by the twice-born for worldly gain.