Shloka 23
धर्मनिन्दा–धर्मोपासनाफलम् तथा साध्वाचारलक्षणम्
Fruits of Disparaging vs. Observing Dharma; Marks of Good Conduct
सुरापो ब्रह्दाहा क्षुद्रचोरो भग्नव्रतो 5शुचि: । स्वाध्यायवर्जित: पापो लुब्धो नैकृतिक: शठ:
surāpo brahmahā kṣudracoro bhagnavrato 'śuciḥ | svādhyāyavarjitaḥ pāpo lubdho naikṛtikaḥ śaṭhaḥ ||
Śrī Maheśvara bersabda: “Seorang peminum arak/memabukkan, pembunuh brahmana, pencuri kecil yang hina, pemecah nazar, dan yang tidak suci; yang meninggalkan swādhyāya (pengajian Veda), yang berdosa, tamak, menipu dan khianat—brahmana seperti itu jatuh daripada kesucian kelahiran brahmana.”
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that brāhmaṇa status is upheld by conduct—purity, truthfulness, vows, and especially svādhyāya—while grave sins (like intoxication, brahma-hatyā, theft) and inner vices (greed, deceit, treachery) cause a moral and spiritual fall from brāhmaṇa integrity.
Maheśvara is delivering a dharma-instruction that lists disqualifying behaviors and vices. The statement functions as a normative warning: certain actions and character traits lead a brāhmaṇa to lose the dignity and merit associated with brāhmaṇa birth.