Mahabharata · 1.149.8–9
॥
Devanāgarī
न त्व् अहं वधम् आकाङ्क्षे स्वयम् एवात्मनः शुभे ॥
परैः कृते वधे पापं न किं चिन् मयि विद्यते ॥
अभिसंधिकृते तस्मिन् ब्राह्मणस्य वधे मया ॥
निष्कृतिं न प्रपश्यामि नृशंसं क्षुद्रम् एव च ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
na tv ahaṃ vadham ākāṅkṣe svayam evātmanaḥ śubhe ||
paraiḥ kṛte vadhe pāpaṃ na kiṃ cin mayi vidyate ||
abhisaṃdhikṛte tasmin brāhmaṇasya vadhe mayā ||
niṣkṛtiṃ na prapaśyāmi nṛśaṃsaṃ kṣudram eva ca ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
न तु अहम् वधम् आकाङ्क्षे स्वयम् एव आत्मनः शुभेna tu aham vadham ākāṅkṣe svayam eva ātmanaḥ śubhe«however, I do not wish to be killed by my own hand, O gracious one;
परैः कृते वधे पापं न किं चित् मयि विद्यतेparaiḥ kṛte vadhe pāpaṃ na kiṃ cit mayi vidyate[but] in a killing done by others, there is no sin on me at all;
अभिसंधिकृते तस्मिन् ब्राह्मणस्य वधे मयाabhisaṃdhikṛte tasmin brāhmaṇasya vadhe mayā[but] in that killing of a brahmin, intentionally [caused] by me,
निष्कृतिं न प्रपश्यामि नृशंसं क्षुद्रम् एव चniṣkṛtiṃ na prapaśyāmi nṛśaṃsaṃ kṣudram eva caI see no atonement — [it] is both heartless and base;
त्व्tvoriginal form «tv», added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अहंahaṃoriginal form «ahaṃ», added to complete the word-by-word coverage
एवात्मनःevātmanaḥoriginal form «evātmanaḥ», added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चिन्cinoriginal form «cin», added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
«However, I do not wish to kill myself by my own hand, O gracious one; and in a killing done by others [= by the rakshasa], there is no sin on me at all. But in that killing of a brahmin, intentionally caused by me, I see no atonement — it is both heartless and base.»
Version
6633b293a73c · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:09:57 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the brahmin shows a fine discernment of guilt by intent. It is telling that he distinguishes death received from the rakshasa from death intentionally caused for his own sake: where there is no evil intent, there is no sin; but where there is a calculation to be saved by another's death, there is crime. Here is a true measure of dharma: guilt is weighed not by outcome alone but by the will and intent of the heart. Telling, too, is that he abhors the very thought of ‘contriving’ a guest's death for his own salvation. Thus the scripture reveals that purity lies in intent: the righteous fears not so much death as the intention that defiles the soul.