Shloka 48
कपिलगोसंवादे गृहस्थ-त्यागधर्मयोः प्रमाण्यविचारः
Kapila–Cow Dialogue: Authority of Householder and Renunciant Dharmas
Devanagari script
सागरानूपमाश्रित्य तपस्तप्तं त्वया महत् । न च धर्मस्य संज्ञां त्वं पुरा वेत्थ कथंचन
Transliteration
sāgarānūpamāśritya tapastaptaṃ tvayā mahat | na ca dharmasya saṃjñāṃ tvaṃ purā vettha kathaṃcana ||
Translation
秤持者（图拉达拉）说道：“依凭如海滨般的寂寥，你确已修行了宏大的苦行；然而从前你无论如何都未曾真正明了——何为法（dharma）的本义与界定。”
Word by Word
सागरानूपम्like the ocean (vast as the sea)
सागरानूपम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसागरानूप (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
आश्रित्यhaving resorted to / having taken refuge in
आश्रित्य:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-श्रि (धातु)
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)
तपःausterity, penance
तपः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootतपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
तप्तम्performed (lit. heated/practised)
तप्तम्:
TypeVerb
Rootतप् (धातु)
Formक्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Accusative, Singular
त्वयाby you
त्वया:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Form—, Instrumental, Singular
महत्great
महत्:
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
धर्मस्यof dharma / of righteousness
धर्मस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
संज्ञाम्the notion/definition, understanding
संज्ञाम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसंज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
त्वम्you
त्वम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Form—, Nominative, Singular
पुराformerly, earlier
पुरा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुरा
वेत्थyou knew / you understood
वेत्थ:
TypeVerb
Rootविद् (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada
कथंचनin any way, at all
कथंचन:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथंचन
Speaker
तुलाधार उवाच
Characters & Entities
T
TūladhāraD
dharmaS
sāgara (ocean)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Austerity (tapas) by itself does not guarantee moral clarity. True dharma requires correct understanding and discernment, not merely severe practices or withdrawal.
Tūladhāra addresses his interlocutor, acknowledging the latter’s great ascetic effort in a secluded waterside setting, but rebuking him for previously lacking a genuine grasp of what dharma actually is.