Shloka 18

Aśvatthāmā’s Buddhi-Doctrine and Nocturnal Incursion Resolve (अश्वत्थाम्नः बुद्धिविचारः सौप्तिकसंकल्पश्च)

Devanagari script

प्रजापति: प्रजा: सृष्टवा कर्म तासु विधाय च । वर्णे वर्णे समाधत्ते होकैक॑ गुणभाग्‌ गुणम्‌,“गुणवान्‌ प्रजापति ब्रह्माजी प्रजाओंकी सृष्टि करके उनके लिये कर्मका विधान करते हैं और प्रत्येक वर्णमें एक-एक विशेष गुणकी स्थापना कर देते हैं

Transliteration

prajāpatiḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā karma tāsu vidhāya ca | varṇe varṇe samādhatte hy ekaikaṁ guṇabhāg guṇam ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Having created living beings, Prajāpati (Brahmā) also ordained their duties; and in each social order he established a distinct, defining quality.”

Word by Word

प्रजापतिःPrajapati (lord of creatures)

प्रजाःcreatures, subjects

सृष्ट्वाhaving created

कर्मduty, action (prescribed work)

तासुin/among them (those)

विधायhaving ordained/arranged

चand

वर्णेin a class/varna

वर्णेin (each) class/varna

समाधत्तेplaces/establishes

एकैकम्one each (a single one in each)

गुणभाग्apportioner of qualities

गुणम्quality, attribute

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Prajāpati (Brahmā)

prajāḥ (creatures/subjects)

varṇa (social orders)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Sandhi Notes