Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 11

धन-राजधर्म संवादः

Discourse on Wealth and Royal Duty

आकिंचन्यं मुनीनां च इति वै नहुषो<ब्रवीत्‌ । कृत्वा नृशंसं हाथने धिगस्त्वथचनतामिह

ākiñcanyaṁ munīnāṁ ca iti vai nahuṣo 'bravīt | kṛtvā nṛśaṁsaṁ hāthane dhig astv atha ca nṛtām iha ||

“అకించనత్వం—మునుల మార్గం”—అని నహుషుడు అన్నాడు. కానీ హత్య విషయంలో క్రూరకర్మ చేసి, “ధిక్కారం!” అని పలికాడు; అలాగే ఇక్కడ అటువంటి పనులు చేసే మనుషులకూ ధిక్కారమే।

आकिंचन्यम्poverty; having nothing
आकिंचन्यम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootआकिञ्चन्य
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
मुनीनाम्of sages
मुनीनाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootमुनि
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
इतिthus; so (quotative)
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
वैindeed
वै:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै
नहुषःNahusha
नहुषः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनहुष
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अब्रवीत्said; spoke
अब्रवीत्:
TypeVerb
Rootब्रू
FormImperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
कृत्वाhaving done
कृत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
FormAbsolutive (क्त्वा), Parasmaipada
नृशंसम्cruel (deed)
नृशंसम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootनृशंस
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
हाथनेin killing/slaughter (reading uncertain)
हाथने:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootहाथन
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
धिक्fie! shame!
धिक्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootधिक्
अस्तुlet it be
अस्तु:
TypeVerb
Rootअस्
FormImperative (Lot), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
अथthen; now
अथ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ
चनताम्bowing; obeisance (reading uncertain)
चनताम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootचनत्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
इहhere
इह:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह

अर्जुन उवाच

A
Arjuna
N
Nahuṣa
M
munis (sages)

Educational Q&A

The verse contrasts an ideal—ākiñcanya (non-possessiveness) associated with sages—with the moral ugliness of cruelty in killing. It implies that lofty teachings lose their force when contradicted by violent, pitiless conduct, and it censures such hypocrisy and brutality.

Arjuna cites (or recalls) a statement attributed to King Nahuṣa about the ascetic ideal of non-attachment, then immediately condemns the commission of a cruel act connected with killing, expressing moral revulsion (“dhik”) toward such behavior among people in the world.