Shloka 23

Karma, Preta-gati, and the Continuity of Phala

Mārkaṇḍeya’s Instruction

Devanagari script

सर्प उवाच चातुर्वर्ण्य प्रमाणं च सत्यं च ब्रह्म चैव हि | शूद्रेष्वपि च सत्यं च दानमक्रोध एव च । आनृशंस्यमहिंसा च घृणा चैव युधिछिर,सर्प बोला--युथधिष्ठिर! सत्य एवं प्रमाणभूत ब्रह्म तो चारों वर्णोके लिये हितकर है। सत्य, दान, अक्रोध, क्रूरताका अभाव, अहिंसा और दया आदि सदगुण तो शाद्रोंमें भी रहते हैं

Transliteration

sarpa uvāca cāturvarṇya-pramāṇaṃ ca satyaṃ ca brahma caiva hi | śūdreṣv api ca satyaṃ ca dānam akrodha eva ca | ānṛśaṃsyaṃ ahiṃsā ca ghṛṇā caiva yudhiṣṭhira ||

Translation

A serpente disse: “Ó Yudhiṣṭhira, a verdade e o padrão autorizado da ordem social das quatro varṇas, e de fato o próprio Brahman, são para o bem de todas as varṇas. Mesmo entre os Śūdras encontram-se veracidade, generosidade e ausência de ira; também compaixão, não-violência (ahiṃsā) e ternura de coração. A virtude não está confinada ao nascimento.”

Word by Word

• {'sarpa uvāca': 'the serpent said', 'cāturvarṇya': 'the fourfold social order (brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra)', 'pramāṇa': 'authoritative standard

• norm', 'satya': 'truth

• truthfulness', 'brahma': 'Brahman

• Vedic sanctity', 'śūdreṣu api': 'even among Śūdras', 'dāna': 'giving

• generosity', 'akrodha': 'absence of anger

• self-control', 'ānṛśaṃsya': 'non-cruelty

• gentleness', 'ahiṃsā': 'non-violence

• non-injury', 'ghṛṇā': 'compassion

• tender concern', 'yudhiṣṭhira': 'Yudhiṣṭhira (addressed directly)'}

Speaker

सर्प उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sarpa (the serpent)
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Cāturvarṇya (four varṇas)
• Śūdra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that ethical qualities—truthfulness, generosity, self-control, kindness, and non-violence—are not restricted by birth or social class; genuine dharma can be present in every varṇa, including Śūdras.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Vana Parva dialogue, a serpent addresses Yudhiṣṭhira and challenges narrow assumptions about varṇa by pointing out that moral virtues are found across society, thereby testing and refining Yudhiṣṭhira’s understanding of dharma.