Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 45

Prāyaścitta, the ‘Elephant Bath’ Problem, and the Opening of Ajāmila-Upākhyāna

येन यावान्यथाधर्मो धर्मो वेह समीहित: । स एव तत्फलं भुङ्क्ते तथा तावदमुत्र वै ॥ ४५ ॥

yena yāvān yathādharmo dharmo veha samīhitaḥ sa eva tat-phalaṁ bhuṅkte tathā tāvad amutra vai

ఈ జన్మలో ఎంతగా, ఏ విధంగా ధర్మమో అధర్మమో ఆచరించబడుతుందో, పరలోకంలో అంతటితో సమానమైన కర్మఫలాన్ని అనుభవించవలసి ఉంటుంది।

येनby which
येन:
करण (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formतृतीया, एकवचन; ‘by which’ (relative)
यावान्as much as; to whatever extent
यावान्:
विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootयावत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; relative-correlative ‘as much as/so great as’ qualifying यथाधर्मः
यथा-धर्मःrighteousness as prescribed; due dharma
यथा-धर्मः:
कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयथा (अव्यय) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘according to dharma / in a righteous manner’
धर्मःdharma
धर्मः:
कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; appositional/emphatic repetition
indeed
:
निपात (Particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निपात (emphasis) ‘indeed/just’
इहhere
इह:
देशाधिकरण (Locative adverb/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; देशवाचक ‘here (in this world)’
समीहितःis intended; is pursued
समीहितः:
क्रिया (Predicative/कृदन्त-क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + ईह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formक्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘intended/undertaken’
सःhe
सः:
कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
एवindeed; only
एव:
निपात (Particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle) ‘only/indeed’
तत्-फलम्that result
तत्-फलम्:
कर्म (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘that fruit/result’
भुङ्क्तेenjoys; experiences
भुङ्क्ते:
क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभुज् (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
तथाthus
तथा:
क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रकारवाचक ‘thus, in that manner’
तावत्to that extent
तावत्:
परिमाण (Measure/परिमाण)
TypeAdjective
Rootतावत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग/अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग; here adverbial-correlative ‘to that extent/so much’
अमुत्रthere (hereafter)
अमुत्र:
देशाधिकरण (Locative adverb/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअमुत्र (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; देशवाचक ‘there (in the other world)’
वैindeed
वै:
निपात (Particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निपात (emphasis/assertion)

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (14.18) :

FAQs

This verse states that whatever pious or impious actions one deliberately performs in this life produce corresponding results in the next life, proportionate to the action.

He explains the general law of karma to show what ordinarily awaits sinful and pious persons—setting the background for understanding the extraordinary power of the Lord’s holy name in Ajāmila’s deliverance.

Be intentional about daily choices—cultivate dharma (truthfulness, compassion, self-control) and avoid adharma—knowing that habits and actions shape future suffering or well-being.