Shloka 13

Dhaumya-varaṇa (Appointment of Dhaumya as Purohita) | धौम्यवरणम्

Devanagari script

तस्माद्‌ धर्मप्रधानात्मा वेदधर्मविदीप्सित: । ब्राह्मणो गुणवान्‌ ककश्रित्‌ पुरोधा: प्रतिदृश्यताम्‌,इसलिये जिसके मनमें धर्मकी प्रधानता हो, जो वेदोक्त धर्मका ज्ञाता और मनके अनुकूल हो; ऐसे किसी गुणवान्‌ ब्राह्मगको आपलोग भी पुरोहित बनानेका निश्चय करें

Transliteration

tasmād dharmapradhānātmā vedadharmavid īpsitaḥ | brāhmaṇo guṇavān kaścid purodhāḥ pratidiśyatām ||

Translation

C’est pourquoi décidez d’établir comme prêtre de maison un brahmane vertueux : dont l’âme est d’abord gouvernée par le dharma, qui connaît le dharma enseigné par les Veda, et qui soit agréable et digne de votre confiance.

Word by Word

तस्मात्therefore/from that

धर्मप्रधानात्माone whose nature/soul is chiefly dharma

वेदधर्मविदीप्सितःdesired/approved as a knower of Vedic dharma

ब्राह्मणःa Brahmin

गुणवान्virtuous/possessing good qualities

कश्चित्some (one), any (one)

पुरोधाःpurohita, family priest

प्रतिदृश्यताम्let (him) be looked for/selected; let (him) be appointed

Speaker

गन्धर्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

ग

गन्धर्व (Gandharva)

ब

ब्राह्मण (Brahmin)

प

पुरोधा/पुरोहित (purohita)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Leadership should be guided by dharma and Vedic knowledge; therefore one should appoint a virtuous, dharma-centered, Veda-informed Brahmin as purohita to ensure right conduct and proper rites.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Gandharva is giving counsel, urging the listeners to choose and appoint a qualified Brahmin as their household/royal priest—someone morally grounded and learned in Vedic duties.