Shloka 41

Adhyāya 283: Varṇa-vṛtti, Nyāya-ārjana, and the Decline-and-Restoration of Dharma (वर्णवृत्तिः न्यायार्जनं च)

Devanagari script

प्रहरन्त्यपरे घोरा यूपानुत्पाटयन्ति च । प्रमर्दन्ति तथा चान्ये विमर्दन्ति तथा परे

Transliteration

praharanty apare ghorā yūpān utpāṭayanti ca | pramardanti tathā cānye vimardanti tathā pare ||

Translation

บางพวกอสูรอันน่าสะพรึงเริ่มทำร้ายผู้ร่วมพิธีบูชายัญ บางพวกถอนเสายูปะออกทั้งต้น และบางพวกก็ขยี้เหยียบย่ำเครื่องประกอบพิธีและเครื่องบูชาให้ย่อยยับ

Word by Word

• प्रहरन्ति: they strike, they beat
• प्रहरन्ति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हृ (धातु: हृ)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• अपरे: others
• अपरे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• घोराः: terrible, fierce
• घोराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• यूपान्: sacrificial posts
• यूपान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यूप
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• उत्पाटयन्ति: they uproot, they tear out
• उत्पाटयन्ति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-पाटय् (धातु: पट्/पाट् caus.)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• प्रमर्दन्ति: they crush, they trample
• प्रमर्दन्ति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-मृद् (धातु: मृद्)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• तथा: thus, likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• विमर्दन्ति: they press down, they trample, they crush
• विमर्दन्ति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-मृद् (धातु: मृद्)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• तथा: likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• परे: others (the rest)
• परे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

दक्ष उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dakṣa
• ghorāḥ (fearsome beings/bhūtas)
• yūpa (sacrificial post)
• yajña (sacrifice/ritual assembly and its materials)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how adharma manifests as the violation of sacred and social order: when rage and hostility dominate, even a yajña—meant to uphold harmony—can be desecrated, harming people and destroying the supports of ritual life.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dakṣa describes a violent disruption of the sacrificial session: fearsome beings assault the officiants/participants, uproot the yūpa posts, and crush the ritual materials, turning the ceremony into chaos.