Shloka 37

Agni’s Withdrawal to the Forest and Identification with Āṅgirasa (अग्न्याङ्गिरस-इतिहासः)

Devanagari script

दद्याद्‌ वापि यथाशक्ति त॑ देवा ब्राह्मणं विदु: । जो पढ़े और पढ़ाये, यज्ञ करे और कराये तथा यथाशक्ति दान दे, उसे देवतालोग ब्राह्मण कहते हैं ।। ब्रह्मचारी वदान्यो योडधीयीत द्विजपुड़व:

Transliteration

dadyād vāpi yathāśakti taṃ devā brāhmaṇaṃ viduḥ | brahmacārī vadānyo yo ’dhīyīta dvijapuṅgavaḥ ||

Translation

ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ತನ್ನ ಶಕ್ತಿಯಷ್ಟು ದಾನ ಮಾಡುವುದೂ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠತೆಯ ಲಕ್ಷಣ; ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಚರ್ಯನಿಷ್ಠನಾಗಿ, ದಾನಶೀಲನಾಗಿ, ಸ್ವಾಧ್ಯಾಯದಲ್ಲಿ ತೊಡಗಿರುವವನನ್ನೇ ದೇವರುಗಳು ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣನೆಂದು ತಿಳಿಯುತ್ತಾರೆ। ಅಂಥ ದ್ವಿಜಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠನು ವಿದ್ಯೆ, ದಮ ಮತ್ತು ದಾನದಿಂದ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣತ್ವದ ಮಾನದಂಡವನ್ನು ಧರಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ।

Word by Word

दद्यात्should give

वाor

अपिalso/even

यथा-शक्तिaccording to (one's) ability

तम्him

देवाःthe gods

ब्राह्मणम्a Brahmin

विदुःknow/consider

ब्रह्मचारीa celibate student

वदान्यःgenerous

यःwho

अधीयीतshould study

द्विज-पुङ्गवःbest of the twice-born

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

ब

ब्राह्मण (brāhmaṇa)

द

देवाः (devāḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Brahminhood is defined by conduct: disciplined life (brahmacarya/self-restraint), commitment to sacred learning, and generosity—especially giving according to one’s means (yathāśakti dāna). Divine approval is tied to ethical practice, not mere birth or status.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brāhmaṇa speaker is describing the qualities by which the gods themselves recognize someone as a true brāhmaṇa, emphasizing study, disciplined conduct, and charitable giving as the practical markers of dharma.