Shloka 20

Indra–Mataṅga Saṃvāda: On the rarity and responsibilities of Brāhmaṇya (इन्द्र-मतङ्ग संवादः)

Devanagari script

मतंग उवाच अन्त्ययोनिरयोनिर्वा कथं स कुशली भवेत्‌ । कुशल तु कुतस्तस्य यस्येयं जननी पित:,मतंगने कहा--पिताजी! जो चाण्डाल योनिमें उत्पन्न हुआ है, अथवा उससे भी नीच योनिमें पैदा हुआ है वह कैसे सकुशल रह सकता है। जिसे ऐसी माता मिली हो उसे कहाँसे कुशलता प्राप्त होगी

Transliteration

Mataṅga uvāca: antyayonir ayonir vā kathaṁ sa kuśalī bhavet | kuśalaṁ tu kutaḥ tasya yasye-yaṁ jananī pitāḥ ||

Translation

Mataṅga said: “O father, how could one be truly well or fortunate if he is born in an ‘end’ or despised birth—or even in a birth regarded as lower still? From where could well-being come to a person whose very parentage—his mother and father—is of such a kind?”

Word by Word

मतङ्गःMatanga

उवाचsaid

अन्त्ययोनिःone of the lowest birth/caste

अयोनिःone without (proper) birth/lineage

वाor

कथम्how

सःhe

कुशलीwell/fortunate, in good condition

भवेत्could be / would become

कुशलम्well-being, welfare

तुbut

कुतःfrom where? how (could it arise)?

तस्यof him

यस्यof whom

इयम्this (female)

जननीmother

पिताfather

Speaker

मतंग उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mataṅga

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Sandhi Notes