Shloka 55
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
पीडयित्वा द्विजं शूद्रः स्वकार्यं चापि साधयेत् । तत्रापापे च शूद्रस्य पातकं नान्यथा भवेत्
pīḍayitvā dvijaṃ śūdraḥ svakāryaṃ cāpi sādhayet | tatrāpāpe ca śūdrasya pātakaṃ nānyathā bhavet
หากศูทรเบียดเบียนทวิชะ (ผู้เกิดสองครั้ง) แล้วบรรลุประโยชน์ของตนได้ เมื่อการกระทำนั้นถูกวินิจฉัยว่าไม่เป็นบาปแก่ศูทร ก็ย่อมไม่เกิดปาตกะอื่นใดนอกเหนือจากนั้น
Unspecified (narratorial/legal-ethical statement; speaker not identifiable from the single verse alone)
Concept: Culpability is framed through a juridical lens: if an act is adjudged ‘not sinful’ for the agent in a given circumstance, then no pāpa is imputed beyond that determination.
Application: Avoid exploiting power imbalances; when navigating conflicts, seek fair adjudication and choose non-harmful means; do not rationalize harassment as ‘permitted’—aim for sattvika conduct.
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A village arbitration scene under a banyan tree: elders sit with staffs and palm-leaf records while a distressed dvija stands aside and a laborer pleads his case, the air thick with social strain. The composition emphasizes the uneasy line between ‘legal allowance’ and moral harm.","primary_figures":["village elders (pañca)","twice-born man (dvija)","śūdra petitioner","scribe","bystanders"],"setting":"banyan-shaded rural sabhā with a small shrine stone and palm-leaf documents","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["dusty ochre","leaf green","cocoa brown","chalk white","indigo shadow"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: rural dharma-court under a stylized banyan, elders with gold leaf halos as symbols of authority, palm-leaf manuscripts, the dvija and petitioner positioned in tense symmetry, rich reds/greens with ornate borders, jewel-like detailing on garments, moral seriousness.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: banyan tree with fine foliage, elders seated in a semicircle, subtle expressions of discomfort, muted earth tones with cool shadows, delicate brushwork, narrative realism and social nuance.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, simplified banyan canopy, elders with large eyes, strong red/yellow/green palette, iconic gestures indicating dispute and judgment, temple-wall storytelling feel.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical ‘dharma under the tree’ framed by floral borders, stylized figures and patterned textiles, deep blue ground with gold motifs, emphasis on symbolic justice rather than literal conflict."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["rustling leaves","distant village sounds","tanpura drone","soft bell at judgment moment"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: cāpi = च + अपि; tatrāpāpe = तत्र + अपापे; nānyathā = न + अन्यथा.
FAQs
No. The verse is framed in a legal-ethical register about when an act is considered “pātaka” (sin). Without the surrounding context, it should not be read as a blanket approval of harming anyone; it is a conditional statement about culpability.
It discusses pātaka (sin/transgression) and the idea that moral-legal judgment depends on whether an act is classified as “āpāpa/apāpa” (non-sinful) within a given framework.
“Dvija” literally means “twice-born” and typically refers to members of the three varṇas associated with upanayana (Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya) in classical dharma literature.