Shloka 163
Adhyāya 262: Śabda-brahman, Para-brahman, and the Ethics of Tyāga
Kapila–Syūmaraśmi Saṃvāda
ब्रह्मैव वर्तते लोके नैव कर्तव्यतां पुन: । जो करने योग्य कर्मोको अपना कर्तव्य समझता है और उसका पालन न होनेपर भय मानता है
brahmaiva vartate loke naiva kartavyatāṃ punaḥ |
إنّ براهمان وحده يسري في هذا العالم ويعمل فيه؛ لذلك لا يوجد «واجبٌ مُلزِم» منفصل عنه. فمن رأى جميع عناصر الطقس—الكاهن القائم، والقربان، والمانترا، والنار—ليست إلا براهمان، ولم يتملّك أي واجب على أنه «لي» (متحرّراً من أنانية الفاعلية)، فهو البرهميّ الحق.
चुलाधार उवाच
Educational Q&A
Seeing Brahman as the sole reality behind all actions and ritual elements dissolves the ego of doership and possessive duty; true brāhmaṇa-hood is defined by this non-appropriating wisdom rather than by mere ritual performance.
Cūlādhāra is instructing his interlocutor in Śānti Parva by redefining dharma and brahminhood: he shifts the focus from fear-driven obligation and external ritual identity to inner realization—everything involved in sacrifice is Brahman, and one should act without the conceit ‘I am the doer’ or ‘this duty is mine’.