Shloka 93

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

Devanagari script

दण्डं समुद्गरं शूलमग्निकुम्भं च दारुणम्‌ । असिपत्रवनं घोरवालुकं कूटशाल्मलीम्‌

Transliteration

daṇḍaṃ samudgaraṃ śūlam agnikumbhaṃ ca dāruṇam | asipatravanaṃ ghoravālukaṃ kūṭaśālmalīm ||

Translation

దండము, ముద్గరము, శూలము, దారుణమైన అగ్నికుంభము; అలాగే అసిపత్రవనము, భయంకరమైన తప్త బాలుకలు, కూట-శాల్మలీ (ముళ్ల చెట్టు) ప్రాంతము.

Word by Word

• दण्डम्: staff, rod (as an instrument of punishment)
• दण्डम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समुद्गरम्: mace, hammer
• समुद्गरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्गर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शूलम्: spear, pike, trident-like stake
• शूलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अग्निकुम्भम्: fire-pot, pot of fire
• अग्निकुम्भम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निकुम्भ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• दारुणम्: terrible, cruel, dreadful
• दारुणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दारुण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• असिपत्रवनम्: forest of sword-leaves (a hell-torment)
• असिपत्रवनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: असिपत्रवन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• घोरवालुकम्: terrible sand (a dreadful sandy tract)
• घोरवालुकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: घोरवालुक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कूटशाल्मलीम्: the Kūṭa-śālmalī (spiked silk-cotton tree; a hell-torment)
• कूटशाल्मलीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूटशाल्मली
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• daṇḍa
• samudgara
• śūla
• agnikumbha
• asipatravana
• ghoravāluka
• kūṭaśālmalī

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses stark images of weapons and tormenting terrains to stress that adharma leads to severe consequences; ethical conduct (dharma) is not merely ideal but safeguards one from the results of wrongdoing.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira is speaking and listing dreadful instruments and places associated with punishment (nāraka-like imagery), as part of a broader discussion on sin, retribution, and the moral order upheld by dharma.