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Shloka 37

The Deliverance of King Nṛga and the Warning Against Taking Brāhmaṇa Property

गृह्णन्ति यावत: पांशून् क्रन्दतामश्रुबिन्दव: । विप्राणां हृतवृत्तीनां वदान्यानां कुटुम्बिनाम् ॥ ३७ ॥ राजानो राजकुल्याश्‍च तावतोऽब्दान्निरङ्कुशा: । कुम्भीपाकेषु पच्यन्ते ब्रह्मदायापहारिण: ॥ ३८ ॥

gṛhṇanti yāvataḥ pāṁśūn krandatām aśru-bindavaḥ viprāṇāṁ hṛta-vṛttīnām vadānyānāṁ kuṭumbinām

ตราบเท่าจำนวนปีเท่ากับเม็ดฝุ่นที่ถูกหยดน้ำตาของพราหมณ์ผู้ใจกว้าง ผู้มีครอบครัวพึ่งพาและถูกปล้นทรัพย์สัมผัส กษัตริย์ผู้ไร้การยับยั้งที่แย่งทรัพย์ของพราหมณ์ พร้อมราชวงศ์ จะถูกต้มทรมานในนรกกุมภีปากะ

गृह्णन्तिthey take/collect
गृह्णन्ति:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootग्रह् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present/वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)
यावतःas many as
यावतः:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootयावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural); परिमाणवाचक-विशेषण (quantitative adjective)
पांशून्dust particles
पांशून्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपांशु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (plural)
क्रन्दताम्of those who are crying
क्रन्दताम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeVerb
Rootक्रन्द् (धातु)
Formवर्तमानकृदन्त (Present participle/शतृ), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (plural); ‘क्रन्दत्’ = crying
अश्रु-बिन्दवःteardrops
अश्रु-बिन्दवः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअश्रु (प्रातिपदिक) + बिन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘अश्रूणां बिन्दवः’); पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)
विप्राणाम्of brāhmaṇas
विप्राणाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootविप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (plural)
हृत-वृत्तीनाम्whose livelihood has been taken away
हृत-वृत्तीनाम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootहृत (कृदन्त; √हृ धातु) + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय-समास (‘हृता वृत्तिः येषाम्’); बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (plural)
वदान्यानाम्of the generous
वदान्यानाम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootवदान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (plural)
कुटुम्बिनाम्of householders
कुटुम्बिनाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootकुटुम्बिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (plural)

FAQs

This verse warns that when brāhmaṇas’ rightful livelihood is taken, the rulers who enable such injustice incur severe karmic consequences; even their temporary worldly freedom is measured against the suffering they cause.

He highlights dharma: rulers must protect the pious and never exploit brāhmaṇas. The narrative uses this moral lens to show that offenses against sacred trust bring heavy reactions.

Do not exploit spiritual teachers, religious institutions, or honest livelihoods; support dharmic education and charity, and avoid benefiting from systems that deprive the righteous of their due.