Shloka 13
Sāma (Sāntva) and Dāna: The Brāhmaṇa’s Conciliatory Release from a Rākṣasa
प्रभुर्वान्निमदन् विद्वान् पुनर्जनयतीश्वर: । स चाजन्नाज्जायते तस्मात् सूक्ष्म एष व्यतिक्रम:
prabhur vānnimadan vidvān punar janayatīśvaraḥ | sa cājann āj jāyate tasmāt sūkṣma eṣa vyatikramaḥ ||
Maitreya berkata: Seorang yang berkeupayaan dan berakal budi, dikurniai kekuatan, memakan makanan namun tetap menyebabkan makanan terhasil kembali; tetapi dirinya sendiri lahir daripada makanan. Maka pembalikan ini halus dan sukar diselami—walaupun makanan lahir daripada hujan dan makhluk lahir daripada makanan, cara makanan dikatakan lahir daripada makhluk (seperti Brahmana yang berilmu) bukanlah mudah difahami.
मैत्रेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a subtle interdependence in the moral-cosmic economy: beings depend on food, yet through their agency (work, sacrifice, governance, learning, and right conduct) they also become causes for the renewed production and distribution of food. This apparent reversal of cause and effect is presented as difficult to grasp.
Maitreya is explaining a nuanced point about origins and sustenance: although rain produces food and food produces living beings, it is also said that living beings—exemplified by a learned brāhmaṇa—bring about food again. He notes that this reciprocal causality is subtle and not straightforward.