Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 11

अध्याय १३२ — कर्मणा मनसा वाचा: स्वर्गमार्गः तथा आयुर्विपाकः

Adhyāya 132 — The path to heaven through deed, mind, and speech; karmic results for lifespan

Devanagari script

अपि क्रतुशतैरिष्टवा क्षयं गच्छति तद्धवि: । नतु क्षीयन्ति ते धर्मा: श्रद्दधानै: प्रयोजिता:

Transliteration

api kratuśatair iṣṭvā kṣayaṃ gacchati taddhaviḥ | na tu kṣīyanti te dharmāḥ śraddadhānaiḥ prayojitāḥ ||

Translation

Kahit pa nakapagsagawa ang isang tao ng daan-daang paghahandog na sakripisyo, ang bunga ng mga handog (havis) ay sa bandang huli’y humihina at nauubos. Ngunit ang mga dharma na isinasagawa nang may pananampalataya (śraddhā)—ang mga disiplina ng wastong asal—ay hindi humihina; kapag tinahak ng may pananampalataya, nananatili itong matibay at di nagkukulang sa lakas-moral.

Word by Word

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• क्रतुशतैः: by a hundred sacrifices
• क्रतुशतैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतुशत
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• इष्ट्वा: having sacrificed/performed (a sacrifice)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (यज्-अर्थे)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• क्षयम्: to destruction/decay
• क्षयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गच्छति: goes/comes to
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• हविः: oblation/sacrificial offering (i.e., the fruit of sacrifice)
• हविः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हविस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• तु: but/however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• क्षीयन्ति: perish/decay/diminish
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षि (क्षये)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Atmanepada

• ते: those
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• धर्माः: duties/virtues/dharmas
• धर्माः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• श्रद्दधानैः: by faithful (persons)
• श्रद्दधानैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रद्दधान
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural, शतृ (present participle, Ātmanepada sense)

• प्रयोजिताः: employed/practised/applied
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-युज्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, क्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

गार्ग्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• गार्ग्य (Gārgya)
• क्रतु (sacrifice/rite)
• हविस् (oblation)
• धर्म (dharma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ritual merit (the fruit of sacrifices and offerings) is finite and can be exhausted, whereas dharma—ethical disciplines and right conduct—when practiced with sincere faith (śraddhā) is enduring and does not diminish.

What is happening in the narrative?

Gārgya is delivering an instructive statement within the Anuśāsana Parva’s didactic setting, contrasting the perishable results of repeated sacrificial rites with the lasting value of faithfully practiced dharmas.