Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 44

Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption

Devanagari script

यमस्य भवने दिव्ये ब्रहलोकसमे गुणै: । कर्मभिनियतैर्बद्धो जन्तुर्दु:खान्युपाश्चुते

Transliteration

yamasya bhavane divye brahmalokasame guṇaiḥ | karmabhiniyataire baddho jantur duḥkhāny upāśnute ||

Translation

玉提希提罗说道：“在阎摩光辉的宫殿中——其神妙与诸般胜德可比梵天界——然而众生为自身业力之驱迫所缚，仍要受诸苦恼。”

Word by Word

• यमस्य: of Yama
• यमस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• भवने: in the abode/house
• भवने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• दिव्ये: divine
• दिव्ये: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• ब्रह्मलोकसमे: equal to Brahmaloka
• ब्रह्मलोकसमे: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मलोकसम
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• गुणैः: by (its) qualities
• गुणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• कर्मभिः: by actions/deeds
• कर्मभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• नियतैः: fixed/appointed (esp. sinful, as per context)
• नियतैः: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• बद्धः: bound
• बद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जन्तुः: the creature/soul
• जन्तुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दुःखानि: sufferings
• दुःखानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• उपाश्नुते: experiences/enjoys (here: undergoes)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (अश्नोति)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Yama
• Brahmaloka

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a splendid or divine realm, one cannot escape the binding force of one’s own karma; actions determine experience, and wrongdoing yields suffering regardless of external grandeur.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira reflects on the moral order governing the afterlife: Yama’s realm may be magnificent like Brahmaloka, but beings who arrive there bound by their deeds still undergo painful consequences.