Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 58

Kāla (Right Time), Effort, and the Ethics of Giving — कालः, प्रयत्नः, दानधर्मश्च

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मण्यं देवि सम्प्राप्य रक्षितव्यं यतात्मना । योनिप्रतिग्रहादानै: कर्मभिश्न शुचिस्मिते

Transliteration

brāhmaṇyaṁ devi samprāpya rakṣitavyaṁ yatātmanā | yonipratigrahadānaiḥ karmabhiś ca śucismite ||

Translation

ಮಹೇಶ್ವರನು ಹೇಳಿದರು—ದೇವಿ! ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣ್ಯವನ್ನು ಪಡೆದ ಬಳಿಕ ಆತ್ಮಸಂಯಮದಿಂದ ಅದನ್ನು ರಕ್ಷಿಸಬೇಕು. ಓ ಶುಚಿಸ್ಮಿತೆ! ಜನ್ಮ-ಆಚರಣದ ಶುದ್ಧಿ, ಪ್ರತಿಗ್ರಹದ ಶುದ್ಧಿ, ದಾನದ ಶುದ್ಧಿ ಮತ್ತು ಸತ್ಕರ್ಮಗಳಿಂದ ಆ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣ್ಯವನ್ನು ಕಾಪಾಡಬೇಕು.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मण्यम्: Brahminhood, the state of being a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मण्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• देवि: O goddess / O lady
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• सम्प्राप्य: having attained, having obtained
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• रक्षितव्यम्: must be protected/guarded
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत् (gerundive/obligative), Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• यतात्मना: by one whose self is restrained; with self-control
• यतात्मना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यतात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• योनिप्रतिग्रहादानैः: by (means of) womb/lineage, acceptance (of gifts), and taking/receiving
• योनिप्रतिग्रहादानैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि + प्रतिग्रह + आदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• कर्मभिः: by deeds, by actions
• कर्मभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)

• शुचिस्मिते: O pure-smiling one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचिस्मित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Devī (Umā/Pārvatī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Brahminhood is not merely a label but a discipline that must be preserved through self-restraint and ethical purity—especially in matters of personal conduct, accepting gifts, giving charity, and performing righteous deeds.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva’s instructional discourse, Maheśvara addresses Devī and lays down a norm of conduct: having attained Brahmin status, one must protect it through controlled senses and through purity in key social-religious transactions such as receiving and giving.