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Shloka 105

Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption

अंशुकं चोरयित्वा तु शुकी जायति मानव: । चोरयित्वा दुकूलं तु मृतो हंस: प्रजायते

aṁśukaṁ corayitvā tu śukī jāyati mānavaḥ | corayitvā dukūlaṁ tu mṛto haṁsaḥ prajāyate |

ผู้ใดลักอังศุกะ (ผ้าละเอียด) ย่อมเกิดเป็นนกแก้ว; ผู้ใดลักทุคูล (ผ้าคลุม/ผ้าส่วนบน) แล้วตาย ย่อมเกิดเป็นหงส์

अंशुकम्a cloth/garment
अंशुकम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअंशुक
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
चोरयित्वाhaving stolen
चोरयित्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootचुर् (चोरयति)
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
शुकीa female parrot
शुकी:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशुकी
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
जायतिis born/becomes
जायति:
TypeVerb
Rootजन् (जायते/जायति)
FormPresent (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada (as read)
मानवःa man/human
मानवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमानव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
चोरयित्वाhaving stolen
चोरयित्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootचुर् (चोरयति)
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)
दुकूलम्a fine garment/upper cloth
दुकूलम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदुकूल
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
मृतःdead; having died
मृतः:
TypeAdjective
Rootमृत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)
हंसःa swan/goose
हंसः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootहंस
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
प्रजायतेis born/comes into being
प्रजायते:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + जन् (प्रजायते)
FormPresent (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

युधिछिर उवाच

Y
Yudhiṣṭhira
A
aṁśuka (fine cloth)
D
dukūla (upper garment)
Ś
śukī (parrot)
H
haṁsa (swan)

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches that theft—even of everyday items like clothing—creates definite karmic results, shaping one’s future birth. Ethical conduct in small matters is therefore integral to dharma.

Yudhiṣṭhira is speaking within a dharma-instruction context, citing specific examples of karmic retribution: stealing a fine cloth leads to rebirth as a parrot, and stealing an upper garment leads (after death) to rebirth as a swan.