Shloka 16

अध्वर्यु–यति संवादः

Adhvaryu–Yati Dialogue on Svabhāva, Ahiṃsā, and Mokṣa

Devanagari script

अहिंसा सर्वधर्माणामिति वृद्धानुशासनम्‌ | यदिहिंस्रं भवेत्‌ कर्म तत्‌ कार्यमिति विद्यहे

Transliteration

ahiṃsā sarvadharmāṇām iti vṛddhānuśāsanam | yad ahiṃsraṃ bhavet karma tat kāryam iti vidmahe ||

Translation

Wika ng Brahmin: “Ito ang aral na minana mula sa matatanda: ang ahimsa, ang di-pananakit, ang pinakamataas sa lahat ng dharma. Kaya pinaninindigan namin na tanging ang gawaing walang dahas ang tunay na nararapat gawin.”

Word by Word

• अहिंसा: non-violence
• अहिंसा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहिंसा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वधर्माणाम्: of all dharmas
• सर्वधर्माणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• इति: thus/so (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• वृद्धानुशासनम्: instruction/teaching of the elders
• वृद्धानुशासनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धानुशासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• यत्: that which
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• अहिंस्रम्: non-violent, harmless
• अहिंस्रम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहिंस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• भवेत्: may be / should be
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कर्म: act, deed
• कर्म: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तत्: that (act)
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• कार्यम्: to be done, fit to be done
• कार्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (कृ-धातु से, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• विद्महे: we know/hold (as an opinion)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: Present (Lat), First, Plural, Atmanepada

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्राह्मण (Brahmin speaker)
• वृद्ध (elders)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ahimsa (non-violence) is presented as the highest principle among all dharmas; therefore, actions should be chosen and performed only insofar as they are non-injurious.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Brahmin speaker cites the authoritative counsel of elders to argue for an ethical standard: the right course of action is the one that avoids violence, framing the discussion around dharma and proper conduct.