Shloka 12

Cyavana Explains His Tests; Kuśika Seeks Brāhmaṇya for His Line (च्यवन–कुशिक संवादः)

Devanagari script

यत्तु तावदतिक्रान्तं धर्मद्वारं तपोधन । तत्कार्य प्रकरिष्यामि तदनुज्ञातुमहसि

Transliteration

yat tu tāvad atikrāntaṃ dharmadvāraṃ tapodhana | tat kāryaṃ prakarīṣyāmi tad anujñātum arhasi ||

Translation

“แต่ทว่า โอ้ผู้เป็นขุมทรัพย์แห่งตบะ ในส่วนที่ประตูแห่งธรรมได้ถูกล่วงเลยไปแล้วนั้น สิ่งที่พึงกระทำ ข้าพเจ้าจะกระทำบัดนี้; ขอท่านจงประทานอนุญาต”

Word by Word

यत्that which

तुbut/indeed

तावत्so far/as much as that

अतिक्रान्तम्transgressed/overstepped

धर्मद्वारम्the gate/threshold of dharma

तपोधनO one whose wealth is austerity (ascetic)

तत्that

कार्यंact/deed; what is to be done

प्रकरिष्यामिI shall do/perform

तत्that (for it)

अनुज्ञातुम्to permit/approve

अर्हसिyou should/you are worthy (to)

Speaker

कुशिक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Kuśika

tapodhana (an ascetic/sage addressed)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When the boundary of dharma has been crossed, one should not remain in confusion or self-justification; instead, one must determine the appropriate remedial action and seek the sanction of a qualified moral authority (here, an ascetic sage).

What is happening in the narrative?

Kuśika addresses an ascetic, acknowledging that a critical moral boundary (“the gate of dharma”) has already been transgressed, and announces that he will now explain or undertake the necessary course of action—requesting the sage’s permission/approval.