Shloka 20

Dāna-Śreṣṭhatā: On the Superiority of Giving

Maitreya–Vyāsa Exemplum

Devanagari script

वाक्‌तीक्ष्णो निकृतिप्रज्ञो द्वेष्ठा विश्वस्य सर्वश: । मिथ्याकृतो5पि विधिना परस्वहरणे रत:

Transliteration

vāk-tīkṣṇo nikṛti-prajño dveṣṭā viśvasya sarvaśaḥ | mithyākṛto 'pi vidhinā parasva-haraṇe rataḥ ||

Translation

O inseto disse: “Minha natureza tornou-se esta: falar palavras cortantes, usar a inteligência para o engano e odiar a todos no mundo de todas as maneiras. Mesmo quando eu agia com artifício calculado, eu me devotava à falsidade — enganando as pessoas — e a tomar para mim o que pertencia a outros.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'vāk-tīkṣṇaḥ', 'definition': 'sharp-tongued

• one whose speech is harsh/cutting'}, {'term': 'nikṛti-prajñaḥ', 'definition': 'one whose intelligence is bent toward fraud

• crafty in deception'}, {'term': 'dveṣṭā', 'definition': 'hater

• one who bears hatred'}, {'term': 'viśvasya', 'definition': 'of the world

• of all beings/people'}, {'term': 'sarvaśaḥ', 'definition': 'in every way

• entirely'}, {'term': 'mithyā', 'definition': 'falsehood

• untruth'}, {'term': 'kṛtaḥ', 'definition': 'done

• practiced'}, {'term': 'vidhinā', 'definition': 'by method

• in a calculated manner'}, {'term': 'parasva', 'definition': 'another’s property'}, {'term': 'haraṇa', 'definition': 'taking away

• seizure'}, {'term': 'rataḥ', 'definition': 'engaged in

Speaker

कीट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• kīṭa (the insect; speaker)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents a self-confession of adharma: harsh speech, deceitful intelligence, universal hatred, and delight in stealing others’ property. It highlights how repeated unethical choices harden into ‘svabhāva’ (habitual nature), warning that speech, intention, and action together shape one’s moral character.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker—identified as a kīṭa (insect)—describes its former conduct and disposition, listing the vices it practiced: cutting speech, fraud, hatred toward all, lying to cheat people, and taking others’ possessions. The tone is reflective and confessional, setting up an ethical lesson within the Anuśāsana-parvan’s instruction on dharma.