Shloka 9

अम्बरीषगाथा—गुणत्रयविभागः तथा लोभनिग्रहः

Ambarīṣa’s Gāthā: The Guṇas and the Restraint of Greed

Devanagari script

अकार्यमपि येनेह प्रयुक्त: सेवते नर: । त॑ लोभमसिभिस्ती&णैर्निकृत्य सुखमेधते

Transliteration

akāryam api yeneha prayuktaḥ sevate naraḥ | taṁ lobham asibhis tīkṣṇair nikṛtya sukham edhate ||

Translation

Kapag inuudyukan nito, ang tao sa mundong ito ay gumagawa maging ng mga gawaing hindi dapat gawin. Ang kamaliang iyon ay tinatawag na kasakiman (lobha). Kapag pinutol ito sa pamamagitan ng matalim na tabak ng kaalaman, nakakamit ng tao ang kaginhawahan at kaligayahan.

Word by Word

• अकार्यम्: a thing not to be done; improper act
• अकार्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकार्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• येन: by which; by whom
• येन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• इह: here; in this world
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• प्रयुक्तः: impelled; prompted
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-युज्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• सेवते: resorts to; practices; engages in
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव्
• Form: Lat (present), Ātmanepada, 3rd, Singular

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तम्: that (fault)
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• लोभम्: greed
• लोभम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोभ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• असिभिः: with swords
• असिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: असि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तीक्ष्णैः: sharp
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• निकृत्य: having cut off; having severed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि-कृत्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund)

• सुखम्: happiness; ease
• सुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एधते: prospers; thrives; attains increase
• Type: Verb
• Root: एध्
• Form: Lat (present), Ātmanepada, 3rd, Singular

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्राह्मण (speaker)
• लोभ (greed)
• ज्ञानरूपी असि (sword of knowledge)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Greed (lobha) is a moral fault that drives a person to commit even improper actions; it should be destroyed through discerning knowledge, which brings lasting happiness and prosperity.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Brahmin speaker is instructing the listener about an inner vice—greed—describing its harmful effect on conduct and prescribing knowledge as the means to cut it down, thereby restoring well-being.