Shloka 62
Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption
मातापितरावाक़ुश्य सारिक: सम्प्रजायते । ताडयित्वा तु तावेव जायते कच्छपो नृूप
mātāpitarāv ākruśya śārikaḥ samprajāyate | tāḍayitvā tu tāv eva jāyate kacchapo nṛpa ||
یُدھِشٹھِر نے کہا—جو شخص ماں باپ کی بدگوئی کرے یا انہیں گالی دے، وہ اگلے جنم میں مینا پرندہ بنتا ہے۔ اے نریشور! اور جو انہی ماں باپ پر ہاتھ اٹھائے، وہ کچھوا بن کر پیدا ہوتا ہے۔
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that disrespect toward parents—especially abusive speech and physical violence—constitutes grave adharma with karmic consequences, expressed through symbolic rebirths (myna-bird for verbal abuse; tortoise for striking).
In a dharma-instruction context of the Anuśāsana Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira states a moral rule about conduct toward parents, warning the kingly listener that insulting or harming one’s parents leads to degraded rebirths.