Shloka 10

कामबन्धन-निवृत्ति तथा शान्तिलक्षण-उपदेशः | Release from Desire-Bondage and the Marks of Peace

Devanagari script

नखरै: सम्प्रयातस्य स्वधर्मज्ञापकस्य च । अपविद्धानग्निहोत्रस्य गुरो्वालीककारिण:

Transliteration

nakharaiḥ samprayātasya svadharmajñāpakasya ca | apaviddhānagnihotrasya guroḥ vālīkakāriṇaḥ

Translation

毗耶娑说：“（且看此例）有人因自身的‘爪’而离开正道，却仍以口舌指点他人何为本分；然而他已弃置神圣的火供（agnihotra），并且对师长行以欺诈与虚伪。”

Word by Word

• नखरैः: with nails/claws
• नखरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नखर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सम्प्रयातस्य: of one who has departed/gone forth
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्प्रयात
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• स्वधर्मज्ञापकस्य: of the proclaimer/teacher of one’s own duty
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वधर्मज्ञापक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

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

• अपविद्धानग्निहोत्रस्य: of one who has cast off/abandoned the Agnihotra
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपविद्ध-अग्निहोत्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• गुरोः: of the teacher
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वालीककारिणः: of one who makes (something) into sand/dust; one who reduces to dust
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वालीककारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• agnihotra
• guru (preceptor)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ethical authority is undermined when one abandons foundational duties (like agnihotra) and behaves deceitfully toward one’s teacher; merely ‘pointing out dharma’ is insufficient without personal integrity and faithful conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa characterizes a morally compromised person: someone who can still speak about svadharma, yet has neglected sacred obligations and acts falsely in the guru-relationship—highlighting the tension between instruction and lived practice.