Shloka 17
ब्रह्मस्वहरण-निषेधः — Prohibition of Appropriating Brahmin Property
Brahmasva
Devanagari script
अहं वै विपुले तात कुले धनसमन्विते
Transliteration
ahaṃ vai vipule tāta kule dhanasamanvite
Translation
ചാണ്ഡാലൻ പറഞ്ഞു—“താതാ, ഞാൻ സത്യമായും വിപുലവും ധനസമ്പന്നവുമായ കുലത്തിൽ ജനിച്ചതാണ്.”
Word by Word
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद्
Form—, प्रथमा, एकवचन
वैindeed/for sure
वै:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै
विपुलेin a vast (one)
विपुले:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootविपुल
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
तातO dear father/sir
तात:
TypeNoun
Rootतात
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन
कुलेin a family/lineage
कुले:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootकुल
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
धनसमन्वितेendowed with wealth
धनसमन्विते:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootधन-समन्वित
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
Speaker
चाण्डाल उवाच
Characters & Entities
च
चाण्डाल (Caṇḍāla)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The speaker begins a self-account that frames ethical reflection: worldly markers like birth in a great, wealthy family are stated, often as a prelude to showing that true worth is measured by conduct (ācāra) and dharma rather than mere lineage or possessions.
A Caṇḍāla is speaking and introduces his background, addressing someone respectfully as “tāta.” He states that he belonged to a large and wealthy family, setting up the context for a moral or explanatory account that follows in subsequent verses.