Shloka 54

Adhyāya 287 — Janaka’s Inquiry on Śreyas, Abhayadāna, and Asaṅga

Non-attachment

Devanagari script

दण्डो यत्राविनीतेषु सत्कारश्न कृतात्मसु । चरेत्‌ तत्र वसेच्चैव पुण्यशीलेषु साधुषु

Transliteration

daṇḍo yatrāvinīteṣu satkāraś ca kṛtātmasu | caret tatra vasec caiva puṇyaśīleṣu sādhuṣu ||

Translation

凡在其地，悖逆无度者以公正之刑得以约束，自制克己者以应有之礼受人尊崇——当在彼处往来行止，并居住其间，与有德之士、善良之人同处。

Word by Word

• दण्डः: punishment, rod (as punishment)
• दण्डः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र

• अविनीतेषु: among the undisciplined
• अविनीतेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविनीत
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• सत्कारः: honour, respectful reception
• सत्कारः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्कार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• कृतात्मसु: among the self-controlled (those with mastered mind)
• कृतात्मसु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• चरेत्: should move about, should associate
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• वसेत्: should dwell, should live
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• पुण्यशीलेषु: among the virtuous-natured
• पुण्यशीलेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्यशील
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• साधुषु: among the good/saintly people
• साधुषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Narada

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Seek residence and association in a society that enforces discipline on the unruly (daṇḍa) and honors the self-controlled (satkāra). Such an environment sustains dharma by correcting wrongdoing and encouraging virtue.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is giving counsel in the Śānti Parva’s ethical-discourse setting, advising what kind of community one should choose: a place governed by just restraint and respectful recognition of the virtuous.