Shloka 18

मोक्षोपाय-निर्णयः

Determination of the Means to Liberation

Devanagari script

अहन्यमानेषु पुनः सर्वमेव पराभवेत्‌ । पूर्वे पूर्वतरे चैव सुशास्या हुभवन्‌ जना:

Transliteration

ahanyamāneṣu punaḥ sarvam eva parābhavet | pūrve pūrvataraś caiva suśāsyā hubhavan janāḥ ||

Translation

Se as pessoas não forem contidas e corrigidas quando fazem o mal, com o tempo tudo será levado à ruína. Por isso, os que vieram antes—e os ainda mais antigos—devem ser bem governados e devidamente disciplinados, para que a ordem e o bem-estar não colapsem.

Word by Word

अहन्यमानेषुwhen the days are passing / in the passing days

पुनःagain; further

सर्वम्everything

एवindeed; just

पराभवेत्would be defeated / would come to ruin

पूर्वेthe former ones

पूर्वतरेthe still earlier ones

चand

एवindeed; just

सुशास्याःwell-governed / well-disciplined

अभवन्were / became

जनाःpeople

Speaker

हुमत्सेन उवाच

Characters & Entities

ह

हुमत्सेन (Humatsena)

ज

जनाः (people/subjects)

प

पूर्वे/पूर्वतर (elders, predecessors)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A society collapses when wrongdoing is left unchecked; ethical governance requires timely restraint and discipline, especially among influential or senior members whose conduct sets the standard for all.

What is happening in the narrative?

Humatsena is advising on principles of rule and social stability, warning that failure to correct misconduct leads to general ruin, and emphasizing the need to govern and discipline even elders and senior persons for the sake of dharma.