Shloka 2

अव्यक्त-प्रबोधः (Awakening to the Unmanifest): The 25th and 26th Principles and Eligibility for Brahma-vidyā

Devanagari script

यदेतज्जायते5पत्यं स एवायमिति श्रुति: । कथं ब्राह्मणतो जातो विशेषग्रहणं गत:

Transliteration

Janaka uvāca: yad etaj jāyate 'patyaṃ sa evāyam iti śrutiḥ | kathaṃ brāhmaṇato jāto viśeṣa-grahaṇaṃ gataḥ ||

Translation

Джанaka сказал: «Шрути возвещает: “Рождённое потомство — не кто иной, как тот самый (прародитель)”. Если так, то когда вначале все существа возникли от брахманов, рождённых Брахмой, как же люди оказались отмечены различными разрядами — кшатриями и прочими?»

Word by Word

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• जायते: is born / comes into being
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• अपत्यम्: offspring
• अपत्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he / that (one)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed / only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• श्रुतिः: scriptural statement / śruti
• श्रुतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कथम्: how?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• ब्राह्मणतः: from a brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मणतः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• जातः: born (having been born)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विशेषग्रहणम्: acceptance/assumption of a distinction
• विशेषग्रहणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेषग्रहण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• गतः: gone to / come to (i.e., obtained)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

जनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Janaka
• Śruti (Vedic revelation)
• Brāhmaṇa
• Kṣatriya
• Brahmā (implied by context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a philosophical problem: if scripture treats progeny as a continuation of the progenitor, and if early creation is traced to Brahmā and the primordial Brāhmaṇas, then the later emergence of distinct social-ritual identities (Kṣatriya etc.) requires explanation—inviting discussion of varṇa as based on qualities, conduct, and function rather than mere origin.

What is happening in the narrative?

King Janaka challenges a doctrinal point using śruti: he cites a scriptural statement about identity/continuity through offspring and then asks how, given an originally common source, differentiated varṇa-designations arose. This sets up the ensuing teaching in the dialogue on social order and dharma.