Shloka 13

Skanda–Mātṛgaṇa-janma: Kumārakāḥ, Kanyāgaṇāḥ, and the Vīrāṣṭaka (स्कन्द-मातृगण-सम्भवः)

Devanagari script

साम्प्रतं च मतो मे5सि ब्राह्मणो नात्र संशय: । ब्राह्मण: पतनीयेषु वर्तमानो विकर्मसु

Transliteration

sāmprataṁ ca mato me ’si brāhmaṇo nātra saṁśayaḥ | brāhmaṇaḥ patanīyeṣu vartamāno vikarmasu ||

Translation

ഇപ്പോൾ നീ ബ്രാഹ്മണൻ തന്നെയെന്ന് എനിക്ക് സംശയമില്ല. എങ്കിലും നീ പതനകാരകമായ, ആചാരവിരുദ്ധമായ വികർമ്മങ്ങളിൽ ഏർപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്ന ഒരു ബ്രാഹ്മണനാണ്.

Word by Word

साम्प्रतम्now, at present

चand

मतःconsidered, regarded

मेof me, my

असिyou are

ब्राह्मणःa Brahmin

नnot

अत्रhere, in this matter

संशयःdoubt

ब्राह्मणःa Brahmin

पतनीयेषुin (acts) causing loss of caste / leading to downfall

वर्तमानःengaged, existing, behaving

विकर्मसुin wrongful acts, forbidden deeds

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

ब

ब्राह्मण (Brāhmaṇa)

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse distinguishes identity from conduct: even if one is truly a brāhmaṇa by birth or recognition, engaging in vikarma—prohibited or unrighteous actions—leads to patana (moral and ritual downfall). Dharma is upheld through right action, not merely by status.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brāhmaṇa speaker addresses someone he now accepts as a genuine brāhmaṇa, but rebukes him for participating in degrading, forbidden deeds. The line functions as a moral censure within the Vana Parva episode, emphasizing accountability to brāhmaṇical standards of conduct.