Shloka 22

ब्रह्मस्वहरण-निषेधः — Prohibition of Appropriating Brahmin Property

Brahmasva

Devanagari script

तथा पापकृतं विप्रमाश्रमस्थं महीपते

Transliteration

tathā pāpakṛtaṁ vipram āśramasthaṁ mahīpate

Translation

Demikian pula, wahai raja, seorang brāhmaṇa yang berbuat dosa, meskipun tinggal di āśrama (hidup dalam disiplin rohani), tetaplah dipandang sesuai perbuatannya.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• पापकृतम्: sin-doing, evil-doing (person)
• पापकृतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापकृत्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विप्रम्: a brahmin
• विप्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आश्रमस्थम्: dwelling in an āśrama (hermitage)
• आश्रमस्थम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आश्रमस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महीपते: O king, lord of the earth
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

चाण्डाल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• चाण्डाल (Caṇḍāla, speaker)
• महīपति (the king, addressee)
• विप्र (a brahmin)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Moral responsibility is not erased by social identity or religious residence: even a brahmin living in an āśrama remains accountable for sinful actions; dharma evaluates conduct, not merely status.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Caṇḍāla addresses a king and draws an ethical comparison: he points out that if a brahmin commits wrongdoing, his being situated in an āśrama does not automatically sanctify him—setting up a broader argument about judging people by deeds.