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Shloka 52

और्वोपाख्यानम्

Aurva Episode: Restoration of Sight and Restraint of World-Destructive Anger

वज्पाणित्रह्यिण: स्यात्‌ क्षत्रं वज़रथं स्मृतम्‌ । वैश्या वै दानवज्ाक्ष कर्मवज़ा यवीयस:,(अग्निमें आहुति देनेके कारण) ब्राह्मणका दाहिना हाथ वच्ञ है। क्षत्रियका रथ वज् है। वैश्यलोग जो दान करते हैं, वह भी वज्र है और शूद्रलोग जो सेवाकार्य करते हैं, उसे भी वज्र ही समझना चाहिये

vajrapāṇir brāhmaṇaḥ syāt kṣatraṃ vajrarathaṃ smṛtam | vaiśyā vai dānavajrākhyāḥ karmavajrā yavīyasaḥ ||

El Gandharva declaró que cada orden social posee su propio “rayo”—su fuerza y deber distintivos. El rayo del brahmán es su mano derecha consagrada, fortalecida por la ofrenda sacrificial; el rayo del kshatriya es su carro de guerra; el rayo de los vaishyas es el don y la generosidad; y el rayo de los shudras es el trabajo de servicio. La enseñanza moral es que el poder verdadero no es sólo fuerza marcial: es el cumplimiento disciplinado de la función legítima, que sostiene al mundo cuando se ejerce sin arrogancia y con responsabilidad.

वज्रपाणिःVajrapāṇi (Indra; one having a thunderbolt in hand)
वज्रपाणिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवज्रपाणि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
त्राह्यिणःof the protector/savior
त्राह्यिणः:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootत्राह्यिन्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
स्यात्may be / should be
स्यात्:
TypeVerb
Rootअस्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular
क्षत्रम्kṣatra; the Kshatriya power/order
क्षत्रम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootक्षत्र
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
वज्ररथम्as a vajra-like chariot / thunderbolt-chariot
वज्ररथम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवज्ररथ
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
स्मृतम्is remembered/considered
स्मृतम्:
TypeVerb
Rootस्मृ
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)
वैश्याःVaishyas
वैश्याः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवैश्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
वैindeed
वै:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै
दानवज्राःhaving gift as vajra / whose vajra is giving
दानवज्राः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदानवज्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
कर्मवज्राःhaving work/service as vajra / whose vajra is action
कर्मवज्राः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मवज्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
यवीयसःthe younger ones (i.e., Shudras in this context)
यवीयसः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootयवीयस्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

गन्धर्व उवाच

G
Gandharva (speaker)
V
vajra (thunderbolt)
B
brāhmaṇa
K
kṣatriya
V
vaiśya
Ś
śūdra
R
ratha (chariot)

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches that ‘strength’ (vajra) is not one-dimensional: each social role has a proper form of power grounded in its dharma—ritual authority for Brahmins, protective force for Kshatriyas, generosity and economic support for Vaishyas, and sustaining service through work for Shudras.

A Gandharva is speaking and characterizing the four social orders by their defining capacities, presenting a normative view of how society is upheld when each group performs its appointed function.