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
اگر کوئی شودر کسی دِوِج (دو بار جنما) کو ستا کر اسی کے ذریعے اپنا کام نکال لے، تو جب وہ فعل شودر کے لیے بے گناہ ٹھہرے، تو پھر اس کے سوا کوئی اور پاتک پیدا نہیں ہوتا۔
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.