Shloka 42

Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā

Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative

Devanagari script

धर्माभिचारिण: पापाक्षौरा लोकस्य कण्टका: । समागच्छन्ति तान्‌ बुद्धवा नियच्छेच्छमयीत च

Transliteration

dharmābhicāriṇaḥ pāpākṣaurā lokasya kaṇṭakāḥ | samāgacchanti tān buddhvā niyacchec chamayīta ca ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“那些假借法（dharma）为名行诡诈之事者——罪人、盗贼，以及成为世间荆棘之徒——常以伪装前来。识破之后，当加以约束：或拘禁，或以刑罚之惧使其邪念平息而受制。”

Word by Word

• धर्माभिचारिणः: practising (false) dharma / hypocritical in conduct
• धर्माभिचारिणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्माभिचारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पापाक्षौराः: sinful wretches (lit. those with evil nature/appearance)
• पापाक्षौराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पापाक्षौर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• लोकस्य: of the world / of the people
• लोकस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• कण्टकाः: thorns; pests; troublemakers
• कण्टकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्टक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• समागच्छन्ति: they come together / they arrive
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-गम्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• बुद्ध्वा: having understood / having identified
• Type: Verb
• Root: बुध्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), Active

• नियच्छेत्: he should restrain / arrest
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-यम्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शमयीत: he should pacify / make desist
• Type: Verb
• Root: शम् (causative: शमय्)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must protect society from hypocrites and criminals who cloak themselves in the appearance of dharma; after identifying them, he should restrain them through detention or deterrent punishment so their harmful conduct is checked.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction on righteous governance in the Śānti Parva, he advises the king on dealing with disruptive elements—those who enter in disguise and harm society—by investigation, restraint, and corrective deterrence.