Shloka 14

Brāhmaṇya-प्रश्नः — The Inquiry into Attaining Brāhmaṇya

Mataṅga–Gardabhī Itihāsa

Devanagari script

अपां हृद उपस्पृश्य वाजिमेधफलं लभेत्‌ | ब्रह्मचारी जितक्रोध: सत्यसंधस्त्वहिंसक:

Transliteration

apāṁ hṛda upaspṛśya vājimedha-phalaṁ labhet | brahmacārī jitakrodhaḥ satyasaṁdhas tv ahiṁsakaḥ |

Translation

من اغتسل في مياه البحيرة المقدّسة المسماة سليلَهَدَ (Salilahada) نال ثواب الأشفاميدها (Aśvamedha)—على أن يعيش عيشَ البراهماتشارين (brahmacārin) محافظًا على العفّة، قاهرًا للغضب، ثابتًا على نذر الصدق، ملتزمًا بالأهيمسا (عدم الإيذاء).

Word by Word

• अपाम्: of waters
• अपाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• ह्रदे: in the lake
• ह्रदे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ह्रद
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• उपस्पृश्य: having touched/bathed (by dipping)
• उपस्पृश्य: Kriya (Purvakala)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उपस्पृश्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• वाजिमेधफलम्: the fruit of the Vājimedha (Aśvamedha) sacrifice
• वाजिमेधफलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाजिमेध-फल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ्
• Form: Vidhi-lin (optative), Optative, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• ब्रह्मचारी: a celibate / one observing brahmacarya
• ब्रह्मचारी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जितक्रोधः: one who has conquered anger
• जितक्रोधः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित-क्रोध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सत्यसन्धः: true to his vow / firm in truth
• सत्यसन्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य-सन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: and/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• अहिंसकः: non-violent
• अहिंसकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहिंसक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

अजड्रिय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Salilahada (tīrtha/lake)
• Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that sacred acts like bathing at a tīrtha yield their highest merit only when grounded in ethical virtues—brahmacarya (disciplined continence), mastery over anger, truthfulness, and non-violence—thereby prioritizing inner character over mere external ritual.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker (Ajadriya) describes the spiritual efficacy of a specific pilgrimage site, Salilahada, stating that a properly qualified practitioner who bathes there attains the merit equivalent to performing the grand Aśvamedha sacrifice.