Sutra 32
Devanagari script
यथा ह्यनास्वादयितुं न शक्यं जिह्वातलस्थं मधु वा विषं वा ॥ कZ_०२.९.३२अब् ॥
Transliteration
yathā hy anāsvādayituṃ na śakyaṃ jihvātala-sthaṃ madhu vā viṣaṃ vā
Translation
正如舌面之物不可能不尝——无论是蜜还是毒——同样（经手财物的官员自然会受诱而分取）。
Word by Word
यथाjust as; in the manner that
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
Formअव्यय; उपमान/उदाहरणार्थे (yathā = ‘just as’)
हिindeed; for
हि:
TypeParticle
Rootहि
Formनिपात; अवधान/हेतौ/समर्थने (emphatic/causal particle)
अनास्वादयितुम्to taste (it); (here) without tasting / to not taste
अनास्वादयितुम्:
TypeVerb (Infinitive)
Rootआ√स्वद्
Formतुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (infinitive); उपसर्ग: आ-; नञ्-पूर्वक (an- = negation); अर्थ: ‘to taste’ → ‘to taste (it)’ with negation = ‘without tasting / to not taste’
नnot
न:
TypeParticle
Rootन
Formनिषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)
शक्यम्possible; feasible
शक्यम्:
TypeVerbal adjective (potential passive participle)
Root√शक्
Formकृत्-प्रत्यय: यत् (शक्य); नपुंसकलिङ्ग एकवचन प्रथमा/द्वितीया; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘possible’
जिह्वातलस्थम्situated on the surface of the tongue; on the tongue
जिह्वातलस्थम्:
TypeAdjective (compound)
Rootस्था (in -स्थ)
Formसमास: जिह्वा-तल-स्थ (जिह्वायाः तले स्थितम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग एकवचन प्रथमा/द्वितीया; विशेषणम् (qualifying मधु/विष)
मधुhoney
मधु:
TypeNoun
Rootमधु
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग एकवचन प्रथमा/द्वितीया
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formविकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive)
विषम्poison
विषम्:
TypeNoun
Rootविष
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग एकवचन प्रथमा/द्वितीया
वाor
वा:
TypeParticle
Rootवा
Formविकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive)
Entities Mentioned
M
madhu (honey)V
viṣa (poison)FAQs
Assume temptation is structurally present wherever officials handle resources; design systems of oversight and accountability rather than relying on personal virtue alone.