Shloka 61

Prohibitions and Rules of Right Conduct (Ācāra): Theft, Speech, Purity, Residence, and Social Boundaries

Devanagari script

न शातयेदिष्टिकाभिर्मूलानि च फलानि च । न म्लेच्छभाषणं शिक्षेन्नाकर्षेच्च पदासनम्

Transliteration

na śātayediṣṭikābhirmūlāni ca phalāni ca | na mlecchabhāṣaṇaṃ śikṣennākarṣecca padāsanam

Translation

Chớ ném đất cục hay đá làm tổn hại rễ và quả. Chớ học thứ lời nói mleccha (bất tịnh), và chớ kéo lê ghế kê chân hay chỗ ngồi.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• śātayet: should damage/hurt
• śātayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śātaya (causative of √śā/√śat?) (धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथम-पुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); causative (णिच्) sense: 'cause to be hurt/damaged'

• iṣṭikābhiḥ: with bricks
• iṣṭikābhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: iṣṭikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• mūlāni: roots
• mūlāni: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• phalāni: fruits
• phalāni: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• mleccha-bhāṣaṇam: barbarous/foreign speech
• mleccha-bhāṣaṇam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mleccha (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'speech/language of mlecchas'

• śikṣet: should learn/practice
• śikṣet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śikṣ (धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथम-पुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• ākarṣet: should drag/pull
• ākarṣet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√kṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथम-पुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); with preverb ā- (आ-उपसर्ग)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• pada-āsanam: footstool
• pada-āsanam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक) + āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: 'seat for the feet' (पदस्य आसनम्)

Speaker

Unspecified (context-dependent within Svargakhaṇḍa 55; presented as a prescriptive rule/ethical injunction).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: śātayet+iṣṭikābhiḥ → śātayediṣṭikābhiḥ; śikṣet+na → śikṣenna; na+ākarṣet+ca → nākarṣecca; pada+āsanam → padāsanam.

FAQs

What ethical lesson is taught in this verse?

It teaches non-harm (avoiding needless injury to plants/produce), purity in speech, and respectful, disciplined behavior in ordinary actions.

What does “mlecchabhāṣaṇa” imply here?

It refers to speech considered linguistically or culturally “impure/uncouth” in the traditional dharma-śāstra sense, advising refinement and restraint in one’s language.

Why mention not dragging a footstool/seat (padāsana)?

It reflects etiquette and mindfulness: one should handle seats and household items respectfully and avoid careless, noisy, or disrespectful conduct.