महाभारत · 1.1.210
॥
देवनागरी
तपो न कल्को ऽध्ययनं न कल्कः ।
स्वाभाविको वेदविधिर् न कल्कः ।
प्रसह्य वित्ताहरणं न कल्कस् ।
तान्य् एव भावोपहतानि कल्कः ॥
लिप्यंतरण (IAST)
tapo na kalko 'dhyayanaṃ na kalkaḥ |
svābhāviko vedavidhir na kalkaḥ |
prasahya vittāharaṇaṃ na kalkas |
tāny eva bhāvopahatāni kalkaḥ ||
शब्दशः अर्थ
संस्कृतIASTअर्थ
तपःtapaḥasceticism, austerity
न कल्कःna kalkaḥnot defilement; not sin
अध्ययनम्adhyayanamstudy (of scriptures)
न कल्कःna kalkaḥnot defilement
स्वाभाविकः वेदविधिःsvābhāvikaḥ veda-vidhiḥnatural (prescribed) Vedic duty
न कल्कःna kalkaḥnot defilement
प्रसह्यprasahyaby force; forcefully
वित्ताहरणम्vitta-āharaṇamacquiring wealth (even by force — e.g. by a kshatriya in battle)
न कल्कःna kalkaḥnot defilement
तानि एवtāni evaprecisely these (these very actions)
भावोपहतानिbhāva-upahatānidefiled by (evil) intent
कल्कःkalkaḥdefilement; sin
तपोtapooriginal form "tapo", added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
कल्कोkalkooriginal form "kalko", added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
ऽध्ययनं'dhyayanaṃoriginal form "'dhyayanaṃ", added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
स्वाभाविकोsvābhāvikooriginal form "svābhāviko", added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
वेदविधिर्vedavidhiroriginal form "vedavidhir", added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
वित्ताहरणंvittāharaṇaṃoriginal form "vittāharaṇaṃ", added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
कल्कस्kalkasoriginal form "kalkas", added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
तान्य्tānyoriginal form "tāny", added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
भावोपहतानिbhāvopahatānioriginal form "bhāvopahatāni", added for full coverage of the word-by-word block
अनुवाद
Asceticism is not defilement; study [of the Vedas] is not defilement; natural Vedic duty is not defilement; and acquiring wealth even by force [in accordance with duty] is not defilement — but these very same actions, defiled by [evil] intent, become defilement.
संस्करण
6703eb497278 · प्रकाशित 12 जुल॰ 2026, 2:16:08 pm UTC
उपलब्ध भाषाएँRUENश्लोक बदलें इन कुंजियों से
This closing verse of the chapter reveals a profound truth about the nature of sin: neither asceticism, nor the study of scripture, nor prescribed duty, nor even the acquisition of wealth by force (as by a kshatriya in righteous battle) is defilement in itself — what makes them defilement (kalka) is evil intent (bhava). It is not the act but the state of mind behind it that determines its purity or impurity. This echoes the teaching of the Bhagavad-gita: what matters is not only what is done, but in what spirit and for whom. An action performed in a spirit of service to the Lord, free of self-interest and malice, is pure; the same action driven by lust, anger, or greed defiles. Thus the chapter closes with a key to the whole epic and to the Gita: purify not only your deeds but, above all, your heart and intention, offering everything to the Lord.