Shloka 36

Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption

Devanagari script

यमस्य पुरुषै: क्लेशं यमस्य पुरुषैर्वधम्‌ दुःखं संसारचक्रं च नर: क्लेशं स विन्दति

Transliteration

yamasya puruṣaiḥ kleśaṃ yamasya puruṣair vadham duḥkhaṃ saṃsāracakraṃ ca naraḥ kleśaṃ sa vindati

Translation

यमस्य पुरुषैः क्लेशं यमस्य पुरुषैर्वधम् । दुःखं संसारचक्रं च नरः क्लेशं स विन्दति ॥

Word by Word

• यमस्य: of Yama
• यमस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पुरुषैः: by the men/servants (of Yama)
• पुरुषैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• क्लेशम्: torment, affliction
• क्लेशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्लेश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यमस्य: of Yama
• यमस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पुरुषैः: by the men/servants (of Yama)
• पुरुषैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• वधम्: slaying, beating, assault
• वधम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दुःखम्: sorrow, pain
• दुःखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• संसारचक्रम्: the wheel/cycle of transmigration
• संसारचक्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसारचक्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्लेशम्: torment, affliction
• क्लेशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्लेश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विन्दति: finds, experiences, obtains
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (विन्दति)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yama's attendants (Yamadūtas)
• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Wrongdoing ripens into suffering: one’s own actions lead to torment and continued misery within the cycle of saṃsāra, symbolized by punishment administered by Yama’s agents.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira describes the post-mortem consequences faced by a sinner: being seized and afflicted by Yama’s attendants and made to endure painful experiences that reflect karmic retribution and continued entanglement in saṃsāra.