Shloka 29

Devanagari script

स लब्ध्वा तपसोग्रेण ब्राह्मणत्वं महायशा:

Transliteration

sa labdhvā tapasogreṇa brāhmaṇatvaṃ mahāyaśāḥ

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana dit : Par la puissance d’une austère ascèse, celui dont la renommée était grande obtint le rang de brāhmaṇa—signe que l’élévation morale procède de la discipline et de la maîtrise de soi, plutôt que de la naissance ou de la force du monde.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लब्ध्वा: having obtained
• लब्ध्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• तपसा: by austerity/penance
• तपसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• उग्रेण: severe, intense
• उग्रेण: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• ब्राह्मणत्वम्: Brahminhood, the status of a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणत्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मणत्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महायशाः: highly renowned, of great fame
• महायशाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महायशस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights tapas (disciplined austerity) as a transformative force: true spiritual status and ethical refinement are presented as attainable through rigorous self-control and practice, not merely inherited.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator Vaiśaṃpāyana briefly states that a highly renowned figure, through intense austerities, attained brāhmaṇatva—serving as a narrative marker of that person’s elevated standing and the power of ascetic effort.