Shloka 107

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

Devanagari script

वर्णान्‌ हत्वा तु पुरुषो मृतो जायति बर्लिण:

Transliteration

varṇān hatvā tu puruṣo mṛto jāyati barliṇaḥ

Translation

యుధిష్ఠిరుడు అన్నాడు— వర్ణాలను హతమార్చిన పురుషుడు మరణానంతరం ‘బర్లిణ’గా జన్మిస్తాడు.

Word by Word

• वर्णान्: castes/varṇas
• वर्णान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• हत्वा: having killed
• हत्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Prior action (having done)

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• पुरुषः: a man/person
• पुरुषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मृतः: dead
• मृतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• जायति: is born/arises
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन्
• Form: लट् (present), Ātmanepada, Third, Singular

• बर्लिणः: Barliṇa (proper name/epithet; reading uncertain)
• बर्लिणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बर्लिण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• varṇa (social orders)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse asserts a karmic consequence: violence that destroys the established social orders (varṇas) leads to an inferior or impure rebirth, underscoring the ethical gravity of actions that destabilize dharma and society.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-focused dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira raises a pointed question/statement about the afterlife result of grievous wrongdoing—specifically, killing connected with the varṇas—seeking clarity on moral causality and its fruits.