Shloka 7

अव्यक्त–प्रकृति–इन्द्रियविचारः

The Unmanifest, Prakṛtis, and the Sense-Complex

Devanagari script

नाधर्म: श्लिष्यते प्राज्ञं पय: पुष्करपर्णवत्‌ । अप्राज्ञमधिकं पापं श्लिष्यते जतुकाष्ठवत्‌

Transliteration

nādharmo śliṣyate prājñaṃ payaḥ puṣkaraparṇavat | aprājñam adhikaṃ pāpaṃ śliṣyate jatukāṣṭhavat ||

Translation

“非正法不沾染智者，如水不附于莲叶；而在愚者身上，罪垢愈加黏着，如紫胶牢牢粘在木上。”

Word by Word

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

• अधर्मः: unrighteousness, adharma
• अधर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्लिष्यते: clings (to), adheres
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्लिष्
• Form: Present, Atmanepada, Third, Singular, Active (Atmanepada usage)

• प्राज्ञम्: the wise (person)
• प्राज्ञम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पयः: water
• पयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• पुष्करपर्णवत्: like a lotus-leaf
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुष्करपर्णवत्

• अप्राज्ञम्: the unwise (person)
• अप्राज्ञम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्राज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अधिकम्: more, excessively
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पापम्: sin, evil
• पापम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• श्लिष्यते: clings (to), adheres
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्लिष्
• Form: Present, Atmanepada, Third, Singular, Active (Atmanepada usage)

• जतुकाष्ठवत्: like lac on wood / like resinous wood
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जतुकाष्ठवत्

Speaker

पराशर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• पराशर (Parāśara)
• पुष्करपर्ण (lotus leaf)
• पयः (water)
• जतु (lac)
• काष्ठ (wood)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Wisdom and discernment prevent adharma from taking hold: the wise remain inwardly untainted even when exposed to wrongdoing, whereas ignorance makes one susceptible, so sin adheres and grows.

What is happening in the narrative?

Parāśara is delivering moral instruction in the Śānti Parva, using two vivid comparisons—water on a lotus leaf and lac on wood—to explain how character and understanding determine whether wrongdoing ‘sticks’ to a person.