Shloka 48
धर्मनिन्दा–धर्मोपासनाफलम् तथा साध्वाचारलक्षणम्
Fruits of Disparaging vs. Observing Dharma; Marks of Good Conduct
कर्मभि: शुचिभिर्देवि शुद्धात्मा विजितेन्द्रिय: । शूद्रो5पि द्विजवत् सेव्य इति ब्रह्माब्रवीत् स््वयम्
karmabhiḥ śucibhir devi śuddhātmā vijitendriyaḥ | śūdro 'pi dvijavat sevya iti brahmābravīt svayam, devi ||
Maheshvara dit : «Ô Déesse, même un Śūdra—s’il purifie son être intérieur par des actes purs et s’il maîtrise ses sens—devient digne d’être honoré et servi comme un deux-fois-né. Cela, ô Devi, Brahmā l’a proclamé de sa propre bouche.»
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Worthiness for honor is grounded in ethical conduct: purity of actions, inner purification, and mastery over the senses can make even one socially labeled a Śūdra deserving of the same respect accorded to a dvija.
Mahēśvara addresses Devī and cites Brahmā’s authoritative statement to affirm that spiritual and moral excellence—shown through pure deeds and self-restraint—confers social and religious esteem, transcending birth-based distinctions.