Shloka 105
Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption
Devanagari script
अंशुकं चोरयित्वा तु शुकी जायति मानव: । चोरयित्वा दुकूलं तु मृतो हंस: प्रजायते
Transliteration
aṁśukaṁ corayitvā tu śukī jāyati mānavaḥ | corayitvā dukūlaṁ tu mṛto haṁsaḥ prajāyate |
Translation
尤提士提罗说：“盗取细软之布 aṁśuka 者，来世生为鹦鹉；盗取上衣 dukūla 者，死后则生于天鹅之胎。”
Word by Word
अंशुकम्a cloth/garment
अंशुकम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअंशुक
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
चोरयित्वाhaving stolen
चोरयित्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootचुर् (चोरयति)
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
शुकीa female parrot
शुकी:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशुकी
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
जायतिis born/becomes
जायति:
TypeVerb
Rootजन् (जायते/जायति)
FormPresent (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada (as read)
मानवःa man/human
मानवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमानव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
चोरयित्वाhaving stolen
चोरयित्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootचुर् (चोरयति)
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)
दुकूलम्a fine garment/upper cloth
दुकूलम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदुकूल
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
मृतःdead; having died
मृतः:
TypeAdjective
Rootमृत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)
हंसःa swan/goose
हंसः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootहंस
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
प्रजायतेis born/comes into being
प्रजायते:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + जन् (प्रजायते)
FormPresent (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada
Speaker
युधिछिर उवाच
Characters & Entities
Y
YudhiṣṭhiraA
aṁśuka (fine cloth)D
dukūla (upper garment)Ś
śukī (parrot)H
haṁsa (swan)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that theft—even of everyday items like clothing—creates definite karmic results, shaping one’s future birth. Ethical conduct in small matters is therefore integral to dharma.
Yudhiṣṭhira is speaking within a dharma-instruction context, citing specific examples of karmic retribution: stealing a fine cloth leads to rebirth as a parrot, and stealing an upper garment leads (after death) to rebirth as a swan.