Shloka 556
Śaraṇāgata-Atithi-Dharma in the Kapota Narrative (कपोत-आख्यानम्—शरणागतधर्मः)
Devanagari script
श्रुत्वा तत् त्वं तथा55तिष्ठ यथा धर्मो न हीयते । तब चाण्डालने उनसे कहा--“महर्षे! मेरी बात सुनिये और उसे सुनकर ऐसा काम कीजिये, जिससे आपका धर्म नष्ट न हो
Transliteration
śrutvā tat tvaṃ tathā tiṣṭha yathā dharmo na hīyate |
Translation
“既已听闻此言，你当如此行事、如此自持，使你的法（dharma）不致亏损。”那旃陀罗如是告诫圣者，劝他择其所行，以保正道，免于德行沦落。
Word by Word
श्रुत्वाhaving heard
श्रुत्वा:
Adhikarana
TypeVerb
Rootश्रु (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)
तत्that (thing)
तत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
त्वम्you
त्वम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNominative, Singular
तथाthus; in that manner
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
तिष्ठstand; remain; stay
तिष्ठ:
TypeVerb
Rootस्था (धातु)
FormImperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada
यथाso that; as; in such a way that
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा (अव्यय)
धर्मःdharma; righteousness; duty
धर्मः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
हीयतेis diminished; declines; is lost
हीयते:
TypeVerb
Rootहा (धातु) / हि (धातु) (परस्मैपद-आत्मनेपद; here passive/ātmanepada usage)
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Atmanepada, Passive/intransitive sense: 'is diminished/declines'
Speaker
घपच उवाच
Characters & Entities
C
Caṇḍāla (speaker)M
Mahārṣi (addressed sage)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
One should choose actions that safeguard dharma—conduct must be guided by the principle that righteousness should not be reduced or compromised.
A Caṇḍāla speaks to a sage, asking him to listen and then proceed in a manner that prevents any loss of dharma, framing the situation as an ethical decision-point.