Shloka 60

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

Devanagari script

जानता विद्िितं धर्म न कार्यो धर्मसंकर: । मा सम धर्म परित्याक्षीस्त्वं हि धर्मभूतां वर:

Transliteration

jānatā vidhitaṃ dharmaṃ na kāryo dharmasaṅkaraḥ | mā sma dharmaṃ parityākṣīs tvaṃ hi dharmabhūtānāṃ varaḥ ||

Translation

మీరు శాస్త్రవిహితమైన ధర్మాన్ని తెలుసుకున్నవారు; కాబట్టి మీ వల్ల ధర్మసంకరం కలగకూడదు. ధర్మాన్ని విడిచిపెట్టకండి; ఎందుకంటే మీరు ధర్మవంతులలో శ్రేష్ఠుడిగా భావించబడతారు.

Word by Word

• जानता: knowing
• जानता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जानत् (√ज्ञा)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विदितम्: known, prescribed
• विदितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विदित (√विद्)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धर्मम्: dharma, duty
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• कार्यः: to be done, should be done
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मसंकरः: confusion/mixing of dharma
• धर्मसंकरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मसंकर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मा: do not (prohibitive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा

• समम्: equal, proper/right (as intended here)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धर्मम्: dharma, duty
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परित्याक्षीः: you should abandon / abandon
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√त्यज्
• Form: Aorist (injunctive/imperative sense under prohibitive मा), 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• धर्मभूतानाम्: of the righteous (those of dharma-nature)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मभूत
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वरः: the best, excellent one
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

घपच उवाच

Characters & Entities

• dharma
• śāstra (implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One who knows śāstra-prescribed dharma must not create or encourage dharma-saṅkara (moral confusion). The verse urges steadfastness in dharma, especially from those seen as exemplars of righteousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the didactic setting of Śānti Parva, a speaker admonishes the addressed person: since you understand the ordained law of conduct, do not spread confusion about it; remain firm in dharma because others look to you as a leading dhārmika.