Shloka 74
Śaraṇāgata-Atithi-Dharma in the Kapota Narrative (कपोत-आख्यानम्—शरणागतधर्मः)
Devanagari script
श्षपच उवाच असता यत् समाचीर्ण न च धर्म: सनातन: । नाकार्यमिह कार्य वै मा छलेनाशुभं कृथा:
Transliteration
śvapaca uvāca: asatā yat samācīrṇaṁ na ca dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ | nākāryam iha kāryaṁ vai mā chalena aśubhaṁ kṛthāḥ ||
Translation
श्वपच उवाच—असता यत् समाचीर्णं न च धर्मः सनातनः । नाकार्यमिह कार्यं वै मा छलेनाशुभं कृथाः ॥
Word by Word
श्वपचःthe dog-cooker (outcaste)
श्वपचः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootश्वपच
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormPerfect, 3rd, Singular
असताby an untrue/evil (means)
असता:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootअसत्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
यत्what/that which
यत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
समाचीर्यतेis practiced/performed
समाचीर्यते:
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + आ + चर्
FormPresent, 3rd, Singular, Passive
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
धर्मःdharma; righteousness
धर्मः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
सनातनःeternal
सनातनः:
TypeAdjective
Rootसनातन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
अकार्यंa forbidden act; what should not be done
अकार्यं:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअकार्य
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
इहhere; in this world
इह:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह
कार्यंa duty; what should be done
कार्यं:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकार्य
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
वैindeed
वै:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै
माdo not (prohibitive)
मा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootमा
छलेनby deceit; through trickery
छलेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootछल
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
अशुभंevil; inauspicious (act)
अशुभं:
Karma
TypeNoun/Adjective
Rootअशुभ
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
कृथाdo/make
कृथा:
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
FormImperative, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada
Speaker
श्षपच उवाच
Characters & Entities
Ś
Śvapaca (outcaste speaker)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Eternal dharma is not defined by what the unrighteous happen to practice; one must not justify improper actions as ‘duty,’ nor commit evil through deception.
An outcaste speaker offers moral counsel, warning the listener against mistaking adharma for dharma and specifically condemning deceitful means that lead to wrongdoing.