Shloka 17

ब्रह्मस्वहरण-निषेधः — Prohibition of Appropriating Brahmin Property

Brahmasva

Devanagari script

अहं वै विपुले तात कुले धनसमन्विते

Transliteration

ahaṃ vai vipule tāta kule dhanasamanvite

Translation

Der Caṇḍāla sprach: „Ehrwürdiger Herr, wahrlich wurde ich in eine große und wohlhabende Familie geboren, reich an Gütern.“

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वै: indeed/for sure
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• विपुले: in a vast (one)
• विपुले: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तात: O dear father/sir
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• कुले: in a family/lineage
• कुले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• धनसमन्विते: endowed with wealth
• धनसमन्विते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन-समन्वित
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

Speaker

चाण्डाल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• चाण्डाल (Caṇḍāla)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The speaker begins a self-account that frames ethical reflection: worldly markers like birth in a great, wealthy family are stated, often as a prelude to showing that true worth is measured by conduct (ācāra) and dharma rather than mere lineage or possessions.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Caṇḍāla is speaking and introduces his background, addressing someone respectfully as “tāta.” He states that he belonged to a large and wealthy family, setting up the context for a moral or explanatory account that follows in subsequent verses.