Shloka 37

Gārhasthya-Śreṣṭhatā and Kṣatriya-Daṇḍadhāraṇa

Householder Primacy and the Royal Duty of Punishment

Devanagari script

स गत्वा भ्रातरं शंखमार्तरूपो<ब्रवीदिदम्‌ | धृतदण्डस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्भवांस्तत्‌ क्षन्तुमहति

Transliteration

sa gatvā bhrātaraṃ śaṅkham ārtarūpo 'bravīd idam | dhṛtadaṇḍasya durbuddher bhavāṃs tat kṣantum arhati ||

Translation

他前往兄长商迦（Śaṅkha）处，神色凄惶地说道：“兄长，我已受了惩罚。那因愚昧而犯下的过失，愿你宽恕。”

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गत्वा: having gone
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), Active

• भ्रातरम्: brother
• भ्रातरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शङ्खम्: Śaṅkha (name)
• शङ्खम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आर्तरूपः: having a distressed appearance
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्तरूप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धृतदण्डस्य: of (me) who has received/borne punishment
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृतदण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• दुर्बुद्धेः: of the foolish one (of me, the ill-minded)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्बुद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तत्: that (offence/act)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• क्षन्तुम्: to forgive
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षम
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive), Active

• अर्हति: is worthy/ought
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह्
• Form: Present (Laṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Śaṅkha
• brother (bhrātṛ)
• daṇḍa (punishment)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Acceptance of just punishment and sincere repentance are presented as ethical steps toward restoring dharma; the offender seeks forgiveness without excuses, acknowledging his own faulty judgment.

What is happening in the narrative?

A person, having been punished, goes to his brother Śaṅkha in distress and asks him to forgive the wrongdoing, emphasizing that the act arose from his own foolishness.