Shloka 17

ब्राह्मणो नैव हंतव्य इत्येषा वैदिकी स्मृतिः । एकादश्यां न भोक्तव्यं पक्षयोरुभयोरपि ॥ १७ ॥

brāhmaṇo naiva haṃtavya ityeṣā vaidikī smṛtiḥ | ekādaśyāṃ na bhoktavyaṃ pakṣayorubhayorapi || 17 ||

„Ein Brāhmaṇa darf niemals getötet werden“—so lautet die vedische Vorschrift, in der Smṛti überliefert. Ebenso soll man an Ekādaśī nicht essen, in beiden Monatshälften, der hellen wie der dunklen.

ब्राह्मणःa brahmin
ब्राह्मणः:
Karma (कर्म) (हन्तव्य इत्यस्य)
TypeNoun
Rootब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन
not
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, निषेध-निपात
एवindeed/at all
एव:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)
हन्तव्यःshould be killed
हन्तव्यः:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootहन् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
Formतव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/future passive participle: 'to be killed'), पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; निषेधेन ‘न हन्तव्यः’
इतिthus
इति:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)
एषाthis
एषा:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम
वैदिकीVedic
वैदिकी:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootवैदिक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषणम्
स्मृतिःtradition/remembered rule
स्मृतिः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootस्मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन
एकादश्याम्on Ekādaśī
एकादश्याम्:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootएकादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; तिथिवाचक
not
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, निषेध-निपात
भोक्तव्यम्should be eaten
भोक्तव्यम्:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभुज् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
Formतव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: 'to be eaten'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; निषेधेन ‘न भोक्तव्यम्’ = ‘should not be eaten’
पक्षयोःof the two fortnights
पक्षयोः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootपक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), द्विवचन; ‘of the two fortnights’
उभयोःof both
उभयोः:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootउभ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी द्विवचन; विशेषणम् (both)
अपिalso
अपि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक निपात (also/even)

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in dialogue)

Vrata: Ekādaśī-vrata

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

It links two core dharma principles: protecting a brāhmaṇa (as a Vedic ethical injunction) and observing Ekādaśī fasting, emphasizing restraint and sanctity as foundations for religious merit.

Ekādaśī discipline is presented as a concrete vow (vrata) that supports purity and steadiness of mind—key supports for sustained Vishnu-bhakti, even though Vishnu is not explicitly named in this line.

It reflects calendrical/ritual practice tied to the lunar tithi system—Ekādaśī occurring in both pakṣas—an applied aspect of jyotiṣa-style time-reckoning used for vrata observance.