Shloka 163
Adhyāya 262: Śabda-brahman, Para-brahman, and the Ethics of Tyāga
Kapila–Syūmaraśmi Saṃvāda
ब्रह्मैव वर्तते लोके नैव कर्तव्यतां पुन: । जो करने योग्य कर्मोको अपना कर्तव्य समझता है और उसका पालन न होनेपर भय मानता है
brahmaiva vartate loke naiva kartavyatāṃ punaḥ |
ब्रह्मैव वर्तते लोके नैव कर्तव्यतां पुनः। यः कर्तव्यकर्माणि कर्तव्यानि मन्यते, तदनुष्ठाने च्युतौ भयमुपैति; यस्य दृष्टौ ऋत्विग् हविः मन्त्राः अग्निश्च सर्वं ब्रह्मैव; यश्च किञ्चिदपि कर्तव्यं न ममेत्यभिमन्यते, कर्तृत्वाभिमानरहितः—स एव सत्यो ब्राह्मणः।
चुलाधार उवाच
Educational Q&A
Seeing Brahman as the sole reality behind all actions and ritual elements dissolves the ego of doership and possessive duty; true brāhmaṇa-hood is defined by this non-appropriating wisdom rather than by mere ritual performance.
Cūlādhāra is instructing his interlocutor in Śānti Parva by redefining dharma and brahminhood: he shifts the focus from fear-driven obligation and external ritual identity to inner realization—everything involved in sacrifice is Brahman, and one should act without the conceit ‘I am the doer’ or ‘this duty is mine’.