Shloka 13

Vītahavya’s Attainment of Brāhmaṇya (Vītahavya–Vipratva) | वीतहव्यस्य ब्राह्मण्यप्राप्तिः

Devanagari script

तं च प्राप्य चिरं काल॑ तत्रैव परिवर्तते | ततश्चतुःशते काले श्रोत्रियो नाम जायते । श्रोत्रियत्वे चिरं काल॑ तत्रैव परिवर्तते

Transliteration

taṃ ca prāpya ciraṃ kālaṃ tatraiva parivartate | tataś catuḥśate kāle śrotriyo nāma jāyate | śrotriyatve ciraṃ kālaṃ tatraiva parivartate |

Translation

तं च प्राप्य चिरं कालं तत्रैव परिवर्तते । ततश्चतुःशते काले श्रोत्रियो नाम जायते । श्रोत्रियत्वे चिरं कालं तत्रैव परिवर्तते ॥

Word by Word

• तम्: him/that (being)
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• प्राप्य: having attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप्
• Form: Lyap (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• चिरम्: for a long time
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular, adverbial

• कालम्: time/period
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, duration (accusative of time)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

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

• परिवर्तते: keeps revolving/continues to transmigrate
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-वृत्
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• ततः: then/thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• चतुःशते: in (the period of) four hundred
• चतुःशते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुःशत
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular, time-locative

• काले: at the time/when the time (has passed)
• काले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• श्रोत्रियः: a Veda-knower (śrotriya)
• श्रोत्रियः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रोत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नाम: by name/as (called)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम

• जायते: is born/arises
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन्
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• श्रोत्रियत्वे: in the state of being a śrotriya
• श्रोत्रियत्वे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रोत्रियत्व
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• चिरम्: for a long time
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular, adverbial

• कालम्: time/period
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, duration (accusative of time)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

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

• परिवर्तते: keeps revolving/continues to transmigrate
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-वृत्
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• śrotriya (Veda-knower Brāhmaṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Karmic evolution is gradual: one may remain long within a given mode of existence, and only after time and maturation of merit does one attain a higher birth—here, the status of a śrotriya Brāhmaṇa—yet even that status involves continued saṃsāric movement unless supported by sustained dharmic conduct and deeper realization.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is describing a being’s post-action trajectory through saṃsāra: after reaching a certain birth, he keeps revolving there for a long time; after a span described as four hundred years, he is born into a Brāhmaṇa family as a śrotriya (Veda-knower) and continues to circulate within that condition for a long time.