Shloka 7

Dharma-vyādha’s Analysis of Moral Decline and the Mahābhūta–Guṇa Schema (धर्मव्याधोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

गुरौ चानृतिके पापे कृतघ्ने ग्रामयाजके । वेदविक्रयिणे दत्तं तथा वृषलयाजके

Transliteration

gurau cānṛtike pāpe kṛtaghne grāmayājake | vedavikrayiṇe dattaṃ tathā vṛṣalayājake ||

Translation

摩罗迦ṇḍेय说道：“施与欺诳、罪恶而不诚之师者；施与忘恩负义者；施与为酬金而行祭的乡祭司者；施与贩卖吠陀者；亦施与为贱民之外族主持祭仪之祭司者——此等布施在伦理上已染污，不能生起人们所期望的清净功德。”

Word by Word

• गुरौ: in/with the teacher
• गुरौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

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

• अनृतिके: in/with a liar (female)/false person
• अनृतिके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनृतिका
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• पापे: in/with a sinful (person)
• पापे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• कृतघ्ने: in/with an ungrateful person
• कृतघ्ने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृतघ्न
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• ग्रामयाजके: in/with a village-priest (one who officiates for a village)
• ग्रामयाजके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रामयाजक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वेदविक्रयिणे: to a seller of the Veda
• वेदविक्रयिणे: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदविक्रयिन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• दत्तम्: given (a gift)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: likewise/so also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• वृषलयाजके: in/with one who officiates for a śūdra (vṛṣala-priest)
• वृषलयाजके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषलयाजक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• guru (teacher)
• grāmayājaka (village priest)
• vedavikrayin (seller of Veda)
• vṛṣalayājaka (priest officiating for vṛṣalas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Charity is not judged only by the act of giving; the recipient’s truthfulness, gratitude, and adherence to dharma matter. Giving to deceitful, sinful, ungrateful, or professionally/ritually compromised recipients is portrayed as morally flawed and less fruitful in merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya is instructing his listeners on dharmic standards, specifically identifying categories of recipients considered unworthy for dāna. The verse functions as a normative warning within a broader discourse on righteous conduct.