Shloka 19

आरण्यकपर्वणि अध्यायः २१६ — इन्द्र-स्कन्द-संमुखता वज्रप्रहारश्च

Indra approaches Skanda; vajra strike and the arising of Viśākha

Devanagari script

दुर्जेय: शाश्वतो धर्म: शूद्रयोनौ हि वर्तते । नत्वां शूद्रमहं मन्‍्ये भवितव्यं हि कारणम्‌

Transliteration

durjeyaḥ śāśvato dharmaḥ śūdrayonau hi vartate | na tvāṃ śūdram ahaṃ manye bhavitavyaṃ hi kāraṇam ||

Translation

Le brāhmane dit : «Ce dharma éternel est difficile à vaincre—difficile à sonder—et pourtant il se trouve même chez celui qui est né d’un sein śūdra. Mais je ne te tiens pas pour un śūdra. Il doit y avoir une cause plus profonde derrière ta naissance en cet état.»

Word by Word

• दुर्जेयः: hard to conquer/overcome
• दुर्जेयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्जेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शाश्वतः: eternal
• शाश्वतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मः: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शूद्रयोनौ: in a Śūdra birth/womb
• शूद्रयोनौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्रयोनि
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• वर्तते: exists, is found, abides
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत्
• Form: Present, Atmanepada, Third, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: Masculine/Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• शूद्रम्: a Śūdra
• शूद्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Masculine/Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• मन्ये: I think/consider
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्
• Form: Present, Atmanepada, First, Singular

• भवितव्यम्: must be, is bound to be
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भवितव्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• हि: indeed, surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• कारणम्: cause, reason
• कारणम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्राह्मण (a brāhmaṇa speaker)
• शूद्र (Śūdra, as a social designation)
• धर्म (dharma, as an ethical principle)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is portrayed as eternal and subtle, not confined to birth-status: genuine righteousness can manifest in anyone, and outward social labels do not necessarily reflect inner moral stature.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brāhmaṇa addresses a person said to be born in a Śūdra womb, expressing wonder that profound dharma is present there, refusing to judge the person as ‘Śūdra’ in essence, and suggesting that a significant hidden cause (destiny/karma) lies behind such a birth.