Shloka 16

Devanagari script

प्रज्ञानाशात्मको मोहस्तथा धर्मार्थनाशक: । तस्मान्नास्तिकता चैव दुराचारश्न॒ जायते,बुद्धिका नाश ही मोह है। वह धर्म और अर्थ दोनोंका विनाश करनेवाला है। इससे मनुष्यमें नास्तिकता आती है और वह दुराचारी हो जाता है

Transliteration

prajñānāśātmako mohas tathā dharmārthanāśakaḥ | tasmān nāstikatā caiva durācāraś ca jāyate ||

Translation

Mê lầm vốn là sự hủy hoại năng lực phân biệt; nó cũng làm tiêu tan cả dharma lẫn artha. Từ đó nảy sinh nāstikatā—sự phủ nhận chân lý đạo đức–tâm linh—và rồi dẫn đến hạnh kiểm bại hoại; khi trí tuệ bị bóng tối của hoang mang che lấp, con người sa vào điều sai trái.

Word by Word

प्रज्ञानाशात्मकःhaving the nature of destruction of wisdom

मोहःdelusion

तथाand likewise

धर्मार्थनाशकःdestroyer of dharma and artha

तस्मात्from that; therefore

नास्तिकताatheism; disbelief

चand

एवindeed; just

दुराचारःbad conduct; wickedness

जायतेarises; is born

Speaker

कामन्दक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Kāmandaka

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When discernment (prajñā) is ruined, delusion (moha) takes over; this delusion undermines both dharma (ethical order) and artha (practical welfare), and from it arise disbelief in moral-spiritual truth (nāstikatā) and immoral conduct (durācāra).

What is happening in the narrative?

Kāmandaka is instructing on the causes of ethical decline, explaining how inner confusion and loss of judgment lead step-by-step to the collapse of righteous living and worldly well-being, culminating in disbelief and corrupt behavior.