Shloka 26

Pūjya-namaskārya-prakaraṇa

On Those Worthy of Honor and Salutation

Devanagari script

एवमेतत् परं स्थान ब्राह्म॒ण्यं नाम भारत । तच्च दुष्प्रापमिह वै महेन्द्रवचनं यथा

Transliteration

evam etat paraṁ sthānaṁ brāhmaṇyaṁ nāma bhārata | tac ca duṣprāpam iha vai mahendravacanaṁ yathā ||

Translation

ହେ ଭାରତ! ଏହିପରି ହିଁ—‘ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ୍ୟ’ ନାମକ ଅବସ୍ଥା ପରମ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ସ୍ଥାନ; ଏବଂ ମହେନ୍ଦ୍ରଙ୍କ ବଚନାନୁସାରେ, ଏହି ଜୀବନରେ ଅନ୍ୟ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣମାନଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ତାହା ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ କରିବା ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ଦୁର୍ଲଭ।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• परम्: supreme, highest
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• स्थानम्: state, position, station
• स्थानम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• ब्राह्मण्यं: Brahminhood, the state of being a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मण्यं: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण्य
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• नाम: indeed; by name; namely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम

• भारत: O Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• दुष्प्रापम्: hard to obtain
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्प्राप
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• इह: here, in this world/life
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• वै: indeed, surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• महेन्द्रवचनम्: the word/saying of Mahendra (Indra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेन्द्र-वचन
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• यथा: as, according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• भारत: O Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

Speaker

शक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra/Mahendra)
• Bhārata

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates brāhmaṇya as the highest ethical-spiritual station, implying it is defined by demanding virtues (such as truth, restraint, learning, and purity of conduct) and is therefore difficult for others to attain within a single lifetime.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra (Śakra/Mahendra) is speaking to a person addressed as “Bhārata,” affirming a prior point: that brāhmaṇya is the supreme status and that achieving it is rare and difficult for those outside that ideal or social order.