Shloka 29

Devanagari script

एवं शास्त्रेषु भिन्नेषु बहुधा नीयते क्रिया । तपोदानप्रवृत्ता च राजसी भवति प्रजा,इस प्रकार भिन्न-भिन्न शास्त्रोंके होनेसे उनके बताये हुए कर्मोमें भी अनेक भेद हो जाते हैं तथा प्रजा तप और दान--इन दो ही धर्मोमें प्रवृत होकर राजसी हो जाती है

Transliteration

evaṁ śāstreṣu bhinneṣu bahudhā nīyate kriyā | tapodānapravṛttā ca rājasī bhavati prajā ||

Translation

当诸般《论典》（śāstra）分裂而互异时，所规定的修行也被牵引向许多不同的方向。于是众人多只勤于苦行（tapas）与布施（dāna），便为“罗阇斯”（rājasa）之性所主宰——好动而外向，受炫示之心驱使，而非由内在澄明引领。

Word by Word

एवम्thus, in this manner

शास्त्रेषुin the treatises/scriptures

भिन्नेषुbeing different/divergent

बहुधाin many ways

नीयतेis led/is carried on

क्रियाaction, ritual act, practice

तपःausterity, penance

दानgift, charity

प्रवृत्ताengaged in, devoted to

चand

राजसीrajasic (dominated by rajas)

भवतिbecomes

प्रजाthe people, subjects

Speaker

भीम उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhima

śāstras

prajā (the people/subjects)

tapas (austerity)

dāna (charity)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhima warns that when authoritative teachings are fragmented and contradictory, religious action becomes inconsistent; people may cling to visible virtues like austerity and charity, yet remain rājasa—driven by activity, prestige, and external performance rather than balanced discernment.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhima’s speech, he comments on the practical consequence of differing śāstric prescriptions: the populace follows varied rites and, focusing mainly on tapas and dāna, develops a predominantly rājasa character.