Shloka 15
Adhyāya 26 — Ekākṣara-Brahman (“Om”) and the Hṛdayastha Guru
Inner Teacher
कामचारी तु कामेन य इन्द्रियसुखे रत: । ब्रह्मचारी सदैवैष य इन्द्रियजये रत:,इसी तरह कामनाओंके द्वारा इन्द्रियसुखमें परायण मनुष्य कामचारी और इन्द्रियसंयममें प्रवृत्त रहनेवाला पुरुष सदा ही ब्रह्मचारी है
kāmacārī tu kāmena ya indriyasukhe rataḥ | brahmacārī sadaivaiṣa ya indriyajaye rataḥ ||
Brāhmaṇa itu berkata: “Sesiapa yang didorong oleh nafsu lalu bersenang dalam kenikmatan indera disebut kāmacārī, pengikut keinginan. Tetapi sesiapa yang sentiasa tekun menakluk indera, dialah sebenarnya brahmacārin sepanjang masa.”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
True brahmacarya is defined by inner mastery: a person absorbed in sense-pleasures under the sway of desire is a kāmacārī, whereas one devoted to conquering the senses is always a brahmacārī, regardless of external appearance.
A brāhmaṇa speaker is giving a moral definition that contrasts two life-orientations—indulgence driven by kāma versus disciplined restraint—clarifying that ethical identity depends on conduct and self-control.