Shloka 1636

Aṣṭāvakra’s Visit to Kubera: Hospitality, Temptation, and the Ethics of Restraint (अष्टावक्र-वैश्रवणोपाख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

तत्प्रसादान्मया प्राप्तं ब्राह्मुण्यं दुर्लभ महत्‌ | तदनन्तर विश्वामित्रजीने कहा

Transliteration

tatprasādān mayā prāptaṃ brāhmaṇyaṃ durlabhaṃ mahat |

Translation

ବିଶ୍ୱାମିତ୍ର କହିଲେ— “ତାଙ୍କ ପ୍ରସାଦରୁ ମୁଁ ମହାନ୍ ଓ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଦୁର୍ଲଭ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ୍ୟ ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ କରିଛି। ରାଜନ୍! ଯେତେବେଳେ ମୁଁ କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟ ଥିଲି, ସେତେବେଳେ ମୋ ମନରେ ଦୃଢ଼ ସଙ୍କଳ୍ପ ହେଲା— ‘ମୁଁ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ହେବି’; ସେହି ଉଦ୍ଦେଶ୍ୟରେ ମୁଁ ଭଗବାନ୍ ଶଙ୍କରଙ୍କୁ ଆରାଧନା କଲି, ଏବଂ ତାଙ୍କ କୃପାରେ ଏହି ଦୁଷ୍ପ୍ରାପ୍ୟ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣତ୍ୱ ଲାଭ କଲି।”

Word by Word

• तत्: from that (i.e., from him/that)
• तत्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• प्रसादात्: from (his) grace/favor
• प्रसादात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• मया: by me / I (agent)
• मया: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Instrumental, Singular

• प्राप्तम्: obtained/attained
• प्राप्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• ब्राह्मुण्यम्: brahminhood / brahmin status
• ब्राह्मुण्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मुण्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दुर्लभम्: hard to obtain
• दुर्लभम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Viśvāmitra
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• a king (rājan)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage emphasizes that lofty spiritual status is not merely inherited but can be attained through firm resolve, disciplined worship/austerity, and—decisively—divine grace; true 'brāhmaṇya' is presented as a rare ethical-spiritual attainment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Within Vaiśaṃpāyana’s narration, Viśvāmitra recounts to a king that he once lived as a kṣatriya, resolved to become a brāhmaṇa, worshipped Śaṅkara for that aim, and by Śiva’s favor obtained the rare state of brahminhood.