Shloka 47
धर्मनिन्दा–धर्मोपासनाफलम् तथा साध्वाचारलक्षणम्
Fruits of Disparaging vs. Observing Dharma; Marks of Good Conduct
ब्राह्मणो वाप्यसद्वृत्त: सर्वसंकरभोजन: । ब्राह्मण्यं स समुत्सृज्य शूद्रो भवति तादृश:
brāhmaṇo vāpy asadvṛttaḥ sarvasaṅkarabhojanaḥ | brāhmaṇyaṃ sa samutsṛjya śūdro bhavati tādṛśaḥ ||
Mahādeva dit : «Même un brāhmaṇa, s’il mène une conduite corrompue et prend l’habitude de manger dans les maisons de toutes les communautés de caste mêlée, renonce au rang et à la discipline de la brāhmaṇité ; ainsi devenu, il se change en śūdra.»
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that brāhmaṇahood is upheld by right conduct (sadācāra) and disciplined living; when a brāhmaṇa adopts corrupt behavior and disregards prescribed standards—symbolized here by indiscriminate acceptance of food in socially/ritually disapproved contexts—he forfeits brāhmaṇya and is regarded as having fallen to śūdra-like status.
Śrīmahādeva is instructing on dharma and social-ritual norms, emphasizing consequences of moral decline. The statement functions as a normative warning: ethical degradation and improper associations/food-acceptance lead to loss of one’s dharmic standing.