Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 176

Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption

Devanagari script

नर: करोत्यकार्याणि परार्थे लोभमोहितः । जो बहुश्रुत नहीं है, वही मनुष्य लोभ और मोहके वशीभूत हो दूसरेके लिये लोभ, मोह, दया अथवा भयसे न करने योग्य पापकर्म कर बैठता है

Transliteration

naraḥ karoty akāryāṇi parārthe lobhamohitaḥ |

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira nói: “Con người, bị lòng tham làm mê muội, sẽ phạm những việc không nên làm, dù lấy cớ là ‘vì lợi ích của kẻ khác’.”

Word by Word

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

• करोति: does; performs
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अकार्याणि: improper acts; things not to be done
• अकार्याणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकार्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• परार्थे: for another's sake; in another's interest
• परार्थे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: परार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• लोभमोहितः: deluded by greed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोभ-मोहित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when an act is justified as being ‘for someone else,’ greed-born delusion can lead a person to commit akārya (unlawful/unethical deeds). Dharma requires discernment and restraint, not rationalizing wrongdoing as service.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana-parvan’s instruction-focused dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira speaks a general ethical observation: people, when overcome by lobha and moha, may perform prohibited acts under the banner of benefiting another.