Shloka 42

धर्मनिन्दा–धर्मोपासनाफलम् तथा साध्वाचारलक्षणम्

Fruits of Disparaging vs. Observing Dharma; Marks of Good Conduct

Devanagari script

अर्थाद्‌ वा यदि वा कामान्न किंचिदुपलक्षयेत्‌ पितृदेवातिथिकृते साधनं कुरुते च यः

Transliteration

arthād vā yadi vā kāmān na kiñcid upalakṣayet pitṛ-devātithi-kṛte sādhanaṃ kurute ca yaḥ

Translation

మహాదేవుడు పలికెను—లాభార్థముగానీ, కోరికవశముగానీ ఏ విషయమునూ ప్రదర్శనగా చూపకూడదు. పితృదేవతలు, దేవతలు, అతిథుల సేవకై తగిన సాధనములను సమకూర్చుటకు యత్నించువాడే శ్రేష్ఠ క్షత్రియుడు.

Word by Word

• अर्थात्: from/for the sake of wealth; for gain
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अर्थ

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• कामात्: from desire; out of desire
• कामात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: masculine, ablative, singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• किञ्चित्: anything; something
• किञ्चित्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• उपलक्षयेत्: should indicate/show; should display
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-लक्ष्
• Form: optative (vidhi-lin), 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

• पितृ: of the ancestors (pitṛs)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• देव: of the gods
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• अतिथि: of the guest
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

• कृते: for (the sake of); for the purpose of
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ
• Form: past passive participle used as avyaya (kṛte), for the sake of

• साधनम्: means; resources; provision
• साधनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधन
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• कुरुते: does; makes; provides
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: present (lat), 3rd, singular, ātmanepada

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

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrīmaheśvara (Mahādeva/Śiva)
• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Devas (gods)
• Atithi (guest)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True excellence—especially for a kṣatriya—is not self-advertisement for profit or pleasure, but quiet, sincere effort to maintain dharmic obligations: honoring ancestors, worshipping the gods, and receiving guests with proper provisions.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Śrī Mahādeva speaks a normative teaching: he defines the superior kṣatriya as one who avoids ostentatious display and instead actively arranges resources for the service of Pitṛs, Devas, and guests.