Shloka 1

Śaraṇāgata-Atithi-Dharma in the Kapota Narrative (कपोत-आख्यानम्—शरणागतधर्मः)

Devanagari script

- कोयलका श्रेष्ठ गुण है कण्ठकी मधुरता

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | hīne parame dharme sarvato'bhilaṅghite | adharme dharmatāṁ nīte dharme cādharmatāṁ gate ||

Translation

యుధిష్ఠిరుడు అడిగెను—ప్రజానాథా! పరమధర్మం క్షీణించి అన్ని వైపులా లంఘింపబడినప్పుడు; అధర్మమే ధర్మమని భావించబడినప్పుడు, ధర్మమే అధర్మమని తీర్మానించబడినప్పుడు—ఇలాంటి భయంకర సంకటకాలంలో, ధర్మమర్యాదలు నశించిన వేళ, బ్రాహ్మణుడు ఏ ఉపాయంతో జీవననిర్వాహం చేయాలి?

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• हीने: when (it is) diminished/deficient
• हीने: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• परमे: in the highest/supreme
• परमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• धर्मे: in dharma
• धर्मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• सर्वतः: on all sides; everywhere
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः

• लोकैः: by people
• लोकैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अभिलङ्घिते: when (it is) transgressed/violated
• अभिलङ्घिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-लङ्घ् (धातु) → अभिलङ्घित (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• अधर्मे: in adharma
• अधर्मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• धर्मताम्: the state/nature of dharma
• धर्मताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• नीते: when (it is) made/led into
• नीते: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु) → नीत (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• धर्मे: in dharma
• धर्मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

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

• अधर्मताम्: the state/nature of adharma
• अधर्मताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्मता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गते: when (it has) gone/turned into
• गते: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a classic dharma-śāstra problem: when society’s moral compass collapses and values invert, ethical life becomes difficult. It introduces the need for guidance on how a brāhmaṇa should preserve life and integrity amid systemic adharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira raises a question about conduct during extreme social breakdown—when dharma is widely violated and adharma is normalized. This sets up the ensuing discussion (not yet in this verse) on survival and right action in a time of calamity.