Shloka 10

Dāna–Tapaḥ Praśaṃsā and Gṛhastha-Upadeśa

Maitreya

Devanagari script

उपपसद्यति धर्मज्ञ यथापापफलोपगम्‌ । तस्मान्मृत्युभयात्‌ कीट मा व्यथिष्ठा: कथंचन

Transliteration

upapasadyati dharmajña yathāpāpaphalopagam | tasmān mṛtyubhayāt kīṭa mā vyathiṣṭhāḥ kathaṃcana ||

Translation

Hỡi người am tường dharma, quả báo của tội lỗi sẽ đến với con người đúng thời, y như nghiệp của họ đáng phải nhận. Vì thế, hỡi con sâu, chớ vì sợ cái chết mà ưu phiền chút nào.

Word by Word

• उपपद्यति: attains, comes to (befalls)
• उपपद्यति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उपपद् (धातु)
• Form: Lat (Present), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• धर्मज्ञ: O knower of dharma
• धर्मज्ञ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यथा: as, according to
• यथा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• पापफलोपगम्: the attainment of the fruit of sin
• पापफलोपगम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पापफलोपग
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तस्मात्: therefore, from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तस्मद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• मृत्युभयात्: from fear of death
• मृत्युभयात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्युभय
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• कीट: O insect (worm)
• कीट: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीट
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• मा: do not
• मा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा
• Form: Prohibitive particle with imperative/optative

• व्यथिष्ठाः: be distressed, be anxious
• व्यथिष्ठाः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यथ् (धातु)
• Form: Lot (Imperative), 2nd, Singular, Atmanepada

• कथंचन: in any way, at all
• कथंचन: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• dharmajña (addressee)
• kīṭa (addressee)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes moral causality: the fruits of wrongdoing inevitably arrive in accordance with one’s actions, so one should not be overwhelmed by fear of death but face outcomes with steadiness and ethical clarity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa addresses someone he calls a 'knower of dharma' while also using the humbling address 'worm,' urging the listener not to panic about death, reminding them that consequences unfold according to one’s deeds.