Shloka 35
Karma, Preta-gati, and the Continuity of Phala
Mārkaṇḍeya’s Instruction
जब बालकका जन्म होता है, तब नालच्छेदनके पूर्व उसका जातकर्म-संस्कार किया जाता है। उसमें उसकी माता सावित्री कहलाती है और पिता आचार्य ।। तावच्छूद्रसमो होष यावद् वेदे न जायते । तस्मिन्नेवं मतिद्वैथे मनु: स्वायम्भुवोडब्रवीत्
tāvac chūdra-samo hoṣi yāvad vede na jāyate | tasminn evaṃ mati-dvaidhe manuḥ svāyambhuvo 'bravīt ||
ヴェーダに「生まれて」いないかぎり—すなわちヴェーダ学習への入門（灌頂）を受けていないかぎり—人はシュードラと同等と見なされる。この点について理解に疑いが生じたとき、自生の祖マヌ（スヴァーヤンブヴァ・マヌ）は規定を宣言し、真の身分は単なる肉体の出生ではなく、規律と聖なる学びに根ざすのだと明らかにした。
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that social and ritual eligibility is tied to saṃskāra and Vedic initiation—being ‘born into the Veda’—rather than merely physical birth; without that formative discipline, one is treated as not yet qualified for Vedic rites.
Yudhiṣṭhira cites an authoritative dharma statement attributed to Manu Svāyambhuva to resolve a doubt about status and qualification, framing the discussion around initiation and Vedic study as the decisive criterion.