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Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 35

राजमार्गे गवां मध्ये धान्यमध्ये च धर्मिण: । नोपसेवन्ति राजेन्द्र सर्ग मूत्रपुरीषयो:,धर्मात्मा पुरुष सड़कपर, गौओंके बीचमें तथा खेतमें लगे हुए धान्यके भीतर मल- मूत्रका त्याग नहीं करते हैं

rājamārge gavāṁ madhye dhānyamadhye ca dharmiṇaḥ | nopasevanti rājendra sarga-mūtra-purīṣayoḥ ||

毗湿摩说:“大王之中最贤者啊,守法行义之人,不在王道大路上,不在牛群之间,也不在尚未收割的庄稼丛中,解小便或大便。此等克制,乃是对公共之地、对有情众生、以及对他人生计的敬畏与尊重。”

राजमार्गेon the king's road / highway
राजमार्गे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootराजमार्ग
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
गवाम्of cows
गवाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootगो
FormFeminine, Genitive, Plural
मध्येin the midst (of)
मध्ये:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootमध्य
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
धान्यमध्येin the midst of grain/crops
धान्यमध्ये:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootधान्यमध्य
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
धर्मिणःrighteous (people)
धर्मिणः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootधर्मिन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
उपसेवन्तिthey resort to / they do (there)
उपसेवन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootउप-सेव्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
राजेन्द्रO king of kings
राजेन्द्र:
TypeNoun
Rootराजेन्द्र
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
सर्गम्discharge / emission
सर्गम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसर्ग
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
मूत्रपुरीषयोःof urine and feces
मूत्रपुरीषयोः:
TypeNoun
Rootमूत्रपुरीष
FormNeuter, Genitive, Dual

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
R
rājendra (the king being addressed)
R
rājamārga (king’s highway)
G
gāvaḥ (cattle/cows)
D
dhānya (grain/crops)
M
mūtra (urine)
P
purīṣa (feces)

Educational Q&A

Dharma includes everyday civic restraint: one should not defile public roads, harm or distress cattle, or damage crops by relieving oneself in such places. Cleanliness here is framed as respect for society, living beings, and others’ livelihood.

Bhīṣma is instructing the king on norms of righteous conduct (sadācāra). He lists specific places—highways, among cattle, and within crops—where a dharmic person avoids urination or defecation, presenting practical ethics as part of royal and social order.