Shloka 143
Pūjya-namaskārya-prakaraṇa
On Those Worthy of Honor and Salutation
सुदुर्लभं सदावाप्य नानुतिष्ठन्ति मानवा: । शतक्रतो! यदि क्षत्रिय आदि तीन वर्णोके लिये ब्राह्मणत्व दुर्लभ है तो उस परम दुर्लभ ब्राह्मणत्वको पाकर भी मनुष्य ब्राह्मणोचित शम-दमका अनुष्ठान नहीं करते हैं। यह कितने दुःखकी बात है!
sudurlabhaṃ sadāvāpya nānutiṣṭhanti mānavāḥ | śatakrato! yadi kṣatriya ādi trīṇāṃ varṇānāṃ brāhmaṇatvaṃ durlabhaṃ, tato ’pi taṃ paramadurlabhaṃ brāhmaṇatvaṃ prāpya manuṣyā brāhmaṇocita-śama-damānuṣṭhānaṃ na kurvanti—kīdṛśaṃ duḥkhasya viṣayam iti |
Matanga berkata: “Bahkan setelah memperoleh sesuatu yang amat langka, manusia kerap tidak menunaikannya dalam laku. Wahai Śatakratu! Jika brahmanatva sukar dicapai oleh tiga golongan lain mulai dari para Kṣatriya, betapa pedihnya bahwa setelah meraih status yang teramat langka itu pun manusia tidak menjalankan disiplin seorang Brahmana—śama dan dama, ketenangan batin dan pengendalian diri.”
मतंग उवाच
Educational Q&A
Rare privileges or statuses are meaningful only when matched by corresponding conduct; Brahminhood, in particular, is validated by practicing śama (inner tranquility) and dama (sense-restraint), not merely by attainment or label.
Matanga addresses Indra (Śatakratu), lamenting that even after attaining the highly difficult ideal of Brahminhood—especially rare for those of other varṇas—people often neglect the disciplines that define it, making it a cause for sorrow.