Shloka 1

Brahmopadeśa: Adhipatitva-kathana, Dharma-lakṣaṇa, and Kṣetra–Kṣetrajña Viveka

Book 14, Chapter 43

Devanagari script

>> ह््न हि कमी त्रिचत्वारिशो<् ध्याय: चराचर प्राणियोंके अधिपतियोंका

Transliteration

brahmovāca | manuṣyāṇāṃ tu rājanyaḥ kṣatriyo madhyamo guṇaḥ | kuñjaro vāhanānāṃ ca siṃhaś cāraṇyavāsinām ||

Translation

ବ୍ରହ୍ମା କହିଲେ—ହେ ମହର୍ଷିମାନେ! ମନୁଷ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ରାଜଧର୍ମର ଅଧିକାରୀ କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟ; ତାହାରେ ମଧ୍ୟମ ଗୁଣ—ରଜୋଗୁଣ—ପ୍ରଧାନ। ବାହନମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ହାତୀ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ, ଏବଂ ଅରଣ୍ୟବାସୀମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ସିଂହ ସର୍ବୋପରି।

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मनुष्याणाम्: of humans
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• राजन्यः: the royal (man), kṣatriya
• राजन्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षत्रियः: kṣatriya
• क्षत्रियः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मध्यमः: middling/medium
• मध्यमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गुणः: quality, attribute
• गुणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कुञ्जरः: elephant
• कुञ्जरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुञ्जर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वाहनानाम्: of vehicles/mounts
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाहन
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

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

• सिंहः: lion
• सिंहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अरण्यवासिनाम्: of forest-dwellers
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरण्यवासिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Kṣatriya
• Elephant (kuñjara)
• Lion (siṃha)
• Humans (manuṣyāḥ)
• Forest-dwellers (āraṇyavāsinaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse correlates social function with innate temperament: the Kṣatriya, tasked with rule and protection, is marked by rajas—the energetic, assertive guṇa. It also illustrates a broader principle that each domain has a natural ‘foremost’ exemplar, suggesting an ordered cosmos where excellence is context-specific and tied to dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

A didactic discourse is underway in which Brahmā speaks, describing characteristics of beings and their governing principles. This verse begins a set of comparisons: it identifies the Kṣatriya’s dominant guṇa and names the elephant and lion as preeminent within their respective categories.