Shloka 107

Devanagari script

यक्ष उवाच राजन्‌ कुलेन वृत्तेन स्वाध्यायेन श्रुतेन वा । ब्राह्म॒ण्यं केन भवति प्रब्रूहीतत्‌ सुनिश्चितम्‌,यक्षने पूछा--राजन्‌! कुल, आचार, स्वाध्याय और शास्त्रश्रवण--इनमेंसे किसके द्वारा ब्राह्मणत्व सिद्ध होता है? यह बात निश्चय करके बताओ

Transliteration

yakṣa uvāca rājān kulena vṛttena svādhyāyena śrutena vā | brāhmaṇyaṁ kena bhavati prabrūhīta niścitām ||

Translation

The Yaksha said: “O King, is one’s Brahminhood established by birth in a lineage, by personal conduct, by self-study of sacred texts, or by learning gained through hearing? Tell me decisively—by which of these is true Brahmin status attained?”

Word by Word

यक्षःthe Yaksha

उवाचsaid

राजन्O king

कुलेनby lineage/family

वृत्तेनby conduct/behavior

स्वाध्यायेनby self-study (Vedic study)

श्रुतेनby learning/hearing (scriptural learning)

वाor

ब्राह्मण्यंBrahminhood, the state of being a Brahmin

केनby what? by which (means)?

भवतिbecomes/is

प्रब्रूहिtell, declare

तत्that (answer/matter)

सुनिश्चितम्well-determined, certain

Speaker

यक्ष उवाच

Characters & Entities

य

यक्ष (Yaksha)

र

राजन् (the King—Yudhiṣṭhira in context)

ब

ब्राह्मण्य (Brahminhood)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes