Shloka 4

Nakula’s Counsel on Yajña, Dāna, and Tyāga (नकुलोपदेशः—यज्ञदानत्यागविचारः)

Devanagari script

अनास्तिकानां भूतानां प्राणदा: पितरश्न ये । तेडपि कर्मव कुर्वन्ति विधिं सम्प्रेक्ष्य पार्थिव

Transliteration

anāstikānāṁ bhūtānāṁ prāṇadāḥ pitaraś ca ye | te 'pi karmaiva kurvanti vidhiṁ samprekṣya pārthiva-rājan ||

Translation

那俱罗说道：“大王啊，即便是祖灵（Pitṛs）——为无信之众生赐命并护持其命者——也必先观照经论之法则而后行事。大王，他们亦是以戒律之令为准而尽其职分。”

Word by Word

• अनास्तिकानाम्: of the non-believing (non-āstika)
• अनास्तिकानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनास्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• भूतानाम्: of beings/creatures
• भूतानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• प्राणदाः: life-givers
• प्राणदाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राणद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पितरः: the Fathers/ancestors
• पितरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• ये: who
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• कर्म: ritual action/deed
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• कुर्वन्ति: do/perform
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• विधिम्: rule/prescription
• विधिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सम्प्रेक्ष्य: having considered/keeping in view
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्रेक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada-derived

• पार्थिव: O king (earth-lord)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

नकुल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nakula
• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• King (pārthiva-rājan)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That dharma is grounded in vidhi (scriptural injunction): even exalted beings like the Pitṛs act by considering śāstric rule, so humans too should not abandon prescribed duty on the basis of disbelief or whim.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nakula addresses the king and argues for disciplined adherence to dharma: he cites the Pitṛs as an example, saying they perform actions only after keeping the scriptural ordinance in view, even in relation to beings lacking faith.