Shloka 26

परिव्राजक-आचारः (Conduct of the Wandering Renunciant) — Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 269

Devanagari script

यद्यागच्छन्ति संसारं पु$नर्योनिषु तादृशा: । न लिप्यन्ते पापकृत्यै:ः कदाचित्‌ कर्मयोनित:

Transliteration

yady āgacchanti saṃsāraṃ punar yoniṣu tādṛśāḥ | na lipyante pāpakṛtyaiḥ kadācit karmayonitaḥ ||

Translation

即便如此清净之人再返世间，受生于业与义务仍起作用的胎藏之中，也绝不会仅因具身之故而为罪业所染。其内在清净与智慧使之不著，故行动之场的过失不能黏附于彼。

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

• आगच्छन्ति: they come/arrive
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम्
• Form: Lat (present), 3rd, plural, Parasmaipada

• संसारम्: worldly existence, transmigration
• संसारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• योनिषु: in wombs/births/species
• योनिषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि
• Form: feminine, locative, plural

• तादृशाः: such (persons)
• तादृशाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तादृश
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• लिप्यन्ते: they are tainted/defiled
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिप्
• Form: Lat (present), 3rd, plural, Atmanepada, passive/medio-passive sense

• पापकृत्यैः: by sinful deeds
• पापकृत्यैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पापकृत्य
• Form: neuter, instrumental, plural

• कदाचित्: ever, at any time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित्

• कर्मयोनितः: from (the fact of) being born in a karma-based womb/source
• कर्मयोनितः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मयोनि
• Form: feminine, ablative, singular

Speaker

कपिल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kapila

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Kapila teaches that the truly purified or realized person is not morally stained simply by taking birth again in the world of action; inner detachment and knowledge prevent sinful adhesion (lepa) even amid karmic conditions.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s philosophical instruction, Kapila is explaining how certain exalted persons may still appear in embodied life, yet remain untouched by wrongdoing; the verse clarifies the distinction between being in a karmic field and being bound by it.