Shloka 62
Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption
मातापितरावाक़ुश्य सारिक: सम्प्रजायते । ताडयित्वा तु तावेव जायते कच्छपो नृूप
mātāpitarāv ākruśya śārikaḥ samprajāyate | tāḍayitvā tu tāv eva jāyate kacchapo nṛpa ||
युधिष्ठिर उवाच—मातापितरौ निन्दन् वा परुषैर्वाक्यैः परिभाषमाणो जनः पुनर्जन्मनि सारिकः सम्प्रजायते। नरेश्वर! यस्तु तावेव मातापितरौ ताडयति, स कच्छपो भवति।
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that disrespect toward parents—especially abusive speech and physical violence—constitutes grave adharma with karmic consequences, expressed through symbolic rebirths (myna-bird for verbal abuse; tortoise for striking).
In a dharma-instruction context of the Anuśāsana Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira states a moral rule about conduct toward parents, warning the kingly listener that insulting or harming one’s parents leads to degraded rebirths.