Mahabharata — Ashvamedhika Parva, Shloka 21

Brahmopadeśa: Adhipatitva-kathana, Dharma-lakṣaṇa, and Kṣetra–Kṣetrajña Viveka

Book 14, Chapter 43

Devanagari script

अहिंसा परमो धर्मो हिंसा चाधर्मलक्षणा । प्रकाशलक्षणा देवा मनुष्या: कर्मलक्षणा:

Transliteration

ahiṃsā paramo dharmo hiṃsā cādharmalakṣaṇā | prakāśalakṣaṇā devā manuṣyāḥ karmalakṣaṇāḥ ||

Translation

风神伐由说道：“我今将说明一切众生既定本分之标志。不害为至上之法，暴力为非法之相。诸天以光辉为性；人类以行作为性——尤以祭祀（yajña）与尽责之业为然。”

Word by Word

• अहिंसा: non-violence
• अहिंसा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहिंसा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• परमः: supreme
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मः: dharma, duty, righteousness
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हिंसा: violence
• हिंसा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिंसा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अधर्मलक्षणा: having adharma as its mark; characteristic of unrighteousness
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधर्मलक्षणा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रकाशलक्षणाः: having light as their mark; characterized by radiance
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रकाशलक्षण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मनुष्याः: humans
• मनुष्याः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कर्मलक्षणाः: having action/ritual as their mark; characterized by deeds
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्मलक्षण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• devāḥ (the gods)
• manuṣyāḥ (human beings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates ahiṃsā (non-violence) as the supreme form of dharma and identifies hiṃsā (violence) as a defining mark of adharma, while also distinguishing the natures of gods (radiance) and humans (duty-bound action/karma).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is speaking and begins a didactic explanation of the characteristic signs of established duties (niyata-dharma) for different classes of beings, framing an ethical hierarchy with non-violence at the top.