Shloka 64
Śaraṇāgata-Atithi-Dharma in the Kapota Narrative (कपोत-आख्यानम्—शरणागतधर्मः)
ऐन्द्रो धर्म: क्षत्रियाणां ब्राह्मणानामथाग्निक: । ब्रह्मवह्निर्मम बल॑ भक्ष्यामि शमयन् क्षुधाम्
aindro dharmaḥ kṣatriyāṇāṃ brāhmaṇānām athāgnikaḥ | brahmavahnirmama balaṃ bhakṣyāmi śamayan kṣudhām ||
ਘਪਚ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ—ਕਸ਼ਤਰੀਆਂ ਦਾ ਧਰਮ ਇੰਦਰ-ਸਮ ਹੈ—ਵੀਰ ਰਾਜ ਅਤੇ ਸਰਬਭੌਮ ਸ਼ਕਤੀ ਦਾ ਬਲ; ਅਤੇ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣਾਂ ਦਾ ਧਰਮ ਅਗਨੀ-ਕਰਮ ਹੈ—ਪਵਿੱਤਰ ਅੱਗ ਦੀ ਵਿਧੀ। ਮੈਂ ‘ਬ੍ਰਹਮ-ਅਗਨੀ’ ਹਾਂ; ਮੇਰਾ ਬਲ ਭੱਖਣਾ ਹੈ। ਮੈਂ ਭੱਖ ਕੇ ਆਪਣੀ ਭੁੱਖ ਸ਼ਾਂਤ ਕਰਾਂਗਾ।
घपच उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts varṇa-specific ideals: kṣatriya dharma is framed as ‘Indra-like’ sovereignty and force, while brāhmaṇa dharma is ‘fire-based’—ritual discipline and sacred restraint. It also shows how a speaker can invoke dharma-language to define (and potentially justify) their own nature and actions.
The speaker identifies himself with a sacred, consuming fire (‘Brahma-fire’) and declares that his power is to devour in order to satisfy hunger. The statement uses the idiom of dharma (role-based duty and sacred power) to present consumption as an inherent function rather than a mere impulse.