Shloka 60
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
तत्क्षणान्न मृतं विप्रं पुनर्हंतुं न युज्यते । पुर्नहत्वा वधं घोरं ज्ञानात्प्राप्नोति निश्चितं
tatkṣaṇānna mṛtaṃ vipraṃ punarhaṃtuṃ na yujyate | purnahatvā vadhaṃ ghoraṃ jñānātprāpnoti niścitaṃ
तत्क्षणान्न मृतं विप्रं पुनर्हन्तुं न युज्यते; पुनर्हत्वा तु घोरं वधपापं ज्ञानात् निश्चितं प्राप्नोति।
Unspecified (contextual narrator/teacher voice not provided in the single-verse input)
Concept: Even in conflict, one must not escalate violence unnecessarily; striking again when the brāhmaṇa is not dead is improper and compounds the sin of slaughter.
Application: Practice de-escalation: stop when harm can be avoided; do not ‘finish off’ a fallen opponent; cultivate restraint in speech and action; seek lawful resolution and atonement when wrong has occurred.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A tense battlefield moment pauses: a wounded brāhmaṇa lies alive, eyes open, while a warrior’s raised weapon trembles mid-air and then lowers as a sage intervenes with a firm gesture of restraint. The air feels heavy with consequence—violence arrested by dharma, the line between defense and cruelty made visible.","primary_figures":["Wounded brāhmaṇa","Warrior/assailant","Intervening sage or minister of dharma","Witnesses (soldiers or villagers)"],"setting":"A dusty clearing near a hermitage boundary; scattered weapons, a fallen staff (daṇḍa) and water pot (kamaṇḍalu) hint at ascetic presence.","lighting_mood":"overcast calm after shock","color_palette":["dusty ochre","pale saffron","steel gray","muted teal","blood-red accent"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central dramatic freeze-frame—warrior lowering sword, brāhmaṇa on the ground with sacred thread visible, a rishi with gold leaf halo raising a palm in ‘stop’ gesture; ornate gold borders, rich maroons and greens, embossed gold highlights on weapons and ornaments, moral gravity conveyed through symmetrical composition and luminous dharma-figure.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate emotional realism—soft expressions of hesitation and compassion, sparse battlefield clearing near a small āśrama, fine linework on sacred thread and manuscripts, cool grays and gentle ochres, lyrical restraint rather than gore, floral border framing the ethical moment.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized figures with large eyes; the ‘stop’ mudrā dominates, brāhmaṇa marked with yajñopavīta, flat pigments in ochre/red/green with gray-blue sky, iconic moral tableau suitable for temple wall narrative.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical scene under lotus-and-vine borders; central dharma-gesture halting violence, symbolic motifs (conch, lotus) subtly placed to suggest Viṣṇu’s sustaining order; deep blue ground with gold highlights, intricate floral patterns contrasting with the halted weapon."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["tanpura drone","silence between phrases","distant wind","single bell strike at cadence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तत्क्षणात् + न → तत्क्षणान्न; पुनः + हन्तुम् → पुनर्हन्तुम्; पुनः + न + हत्वा → पुर्नहत्वा (पुनर्नहत्वा); ज्ञानात् + प्राप्नोति → ज्ञानात्प्राप्नोति.
FAQs
It emphasizes restraint and non-escalation: if the brāhmaṇa is not dead, striking again is declared improper, and repeating violence is described as a grave act of slaughter.
No. This verse is primarily a dharma/ethics instruction about violence and culpability, not a description of sacred geography.
‘Jñānāt’ signals that the judgment is grounded in authoritative teaching (śāstra/ethical knowledge), presenting the consequence—incurring dreadful slaughter—as a settled conclusion.