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Shloka 38

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

यदि धर्म यथाशक्ति जन्मप्रभूति सेवते | ततः स पुरुषो भूत्वा सेवते नित्यदा सुखम्‌

yadi dharmaṃ yathāśakti janmaprabhṛti sevate | tataḥ sa puruṣo bhūtvā sevate nityadā sukham ||

หากบุคคลตั้งแต่เริ่มชีวิตรับใช้และประพฤติธรรมะตามกำลังของตนแล้ว เขาย่อมเป็นมนุษย์ผู้ควรค่า และดำรงอยู่ในความสุขเป็นนิตย์

यदिif
यदि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयदि
धर्मम्dharma, righteous duty
धर्मम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
यथाशक्तिaccording to one's ability
यथाशक्ति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा-शक्ति
जन्मप्रभृतिfrom birth onward
जन्मप्रभृति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootजन्म-प्रभृति
सेवतेserves, practices, follows
सेवते:
TypeVerb
Rootसेव्
FormLat, Present, Atmanepada, Third, Singular
ततःthen, thereafter; from that
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
सःhe, that person
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
पुरुषःman, person
पुरुषः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
भूत्वाhaving become
भूत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormAbsolutive (Ktva), Parasmaipada/Atmanepada-neutral
सेवतेenjoys, experiences; serves
सेवते:
TypeVerb
Rootसेव्
FormLat, Present, Atmanepada, Third, Singular
नित्यदाalways
नित्यदा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनित्यदा
सुखम्happiness, comfort
सुखम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसुख
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular

युधिछिर उवाच

Y
Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

Consistent practice of dharma from early life, within one’s actual capacity (yathāśakti), forms true character and yields enduring well-being; ethical effort, not mere status, is presented as the basis of lasting happiness.

In the instruction-focused Anuśāsana Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira speaks in a reflective, inquiry-driven mode about the fruits of righteous conduct, emphasizing that lifelong adherence to dharma results in continual happiness.