Shloka 12

दानपात्रापात्र-निर्णयः / Determining Worthy Gifts, Recipients, and Permissible Food

Devanagari script

पितामहसुतं ज्येष्ठ॑ कुमारं दीप्ततेजसम्‌ । अध्यात्मगतितत्त्वज्ञमुपाशिक्षत य: पुरा,“इन्होंने पूर्वकालमें ब्रह्माजीके ज्येष्ठ पुत्र उद्दीप्त तेजस्वी सनत्कुमारजीसे, जो अध्यात्मगतिके तत्त्वको जाननेवाले हैं, अध्यात्मज्ञानकी शिक्षा पायी थी

Transliteration

pitāmaha-sutaṁ jyeṣṭhaṁ kumāraṁ dīpta-tejasam | adhyātma-gati-tattva-jñam upāśikṣata yaḥ purā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dijo: En tiempos antiguos, recibió instrucción en el conocimiento espiritual de Sanatkumāra —el hijo mayor del Pitāmaha (Brahmā), resplandeciente en esplendor—, conocedor de los verdaderos principios del camino interior y del destino del alma.

Word by Word

पितामहसुतम्the son of the grandsire (Brahmā)

ज्येष्ठम्eldest

कुमारम्the youth; Kumāra (Sanatkumāra)

दीप्ततेजसम्of blazing splendor

अध्यात्मगतितत्त्वज्ञम्knower of the truth of the course/way of the self (spiritual path)

उपाशिक्षतhe learned; he received instruction

यःwho

पुराformerly; in olden times

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Brahmā (Pitāmaha)

Sanatkumāra

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the legitimacy and ethical authority of spiritual counsel grounded in authentic instruction: true guidance on dharma and inner liberation is strengthened when it comes through a recognized lineage of Self-knowledge, here traced to Sanatkumāra, a paradigmatic teacher of adhyātma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing a figure’s prior training: in ancient times, he studied adhyātma (knowledge of the Self) under Sanatkumāra, Brahmā’s eldest son, renowned for spiritual brilliance and insight into the soul’s path and ultimate attainment.