Shloka 13
जनक–ब्राह्मणसंवादः
Viṣaya, Mamatva, and Self-Mastery
ब्राह्मण उवाच पितृपैतामहे राज्ये वश्ये जनपदे सति । ब्रूहि कां मतिमास्थाय ममत्वं वर्जित त्वया,ब्राह्मणने कहा--राजन्! जब बाप-दादोंके समयसे ही मिथिला-प्रान््कके राज्यपर आपका अधिकार है, तब बताइये, किस बुद्धिका आश्रय लेकर आपने इसके प्रति अपनी ममताको त्याग दिया है?
brāhmaṇa uvāca | pitṛpaitāmahe rājye vaśye janapade sati | brūhi kāṃ matim āsthāya mamatvaṃ varjitaṃ tvayā ||
The Brahmin said: “O King, when this realm and its people have been under your rightful authority since the time of your father and grandfather, tell me—what understanding have you relied upon that you have renounced all sense of ‘mine-ness’ toward it?”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse probes the ethical basis of renouncing possessiveness (mamatva) even toward legitimate, ancestral sovereignty. It highlights that true detachment is not mere abandonment but should rest on a clear, reasoned understanding (mati) aligned with dharma.
A Brahmin questions a king who has hereditary authority over a compliant realm, asking what conviction or insight led him to give up his sense of ownership toward the kingdom and its people.