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Shloka 11

देवा ऊचु: ऋणिनो मानवा ब्रह्मन्‌ जायन्ते येन तच्छूणु । क्रियाभिन्रह्मचर्येण प्रजया च न संशय:

devā ūcuḥ—ṛṇino mānavā brahman jāyante yena tac chṛṇu | kriyābhir brahmacaryeṇa prajayā ca na saṃśayaḥ |

தேவர்கள் கூறினர்—பிராமணரே! மனிதர்கள் எந்தக் கடனால் கடனாளிகளாய் பிறக்கிறார்கள் என்பதை கேளுங்கள். யாகக் கடமை, பிரம்மச்சரிய ஒழுக்கம், மற்றும் சந்ததியைப் பெறுதல்—இம்மூன்றிலும் எல்லா மனிதருக்கும் கடன் உண்டு; இதில் ஐயமில்லை.

देवाःthe gods
देवाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदेव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
ऊचुःsaid
ऊचुः:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormPerfect, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
ऋणिनःdebt-bound, indebted
ऋणिनः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootऋणिन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
मानवाःhumans
मानवाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमानव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
ब्रह्मन्O Brahmin
ब्रह्मन्:
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
जायन्तेare born
जायन्ते:
TypeVerb
Rootजन्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Atmanepada
येनby which (cause)
येन:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
तत्that
तत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
शृणुhear (listen)
शृणु:
TypeVerb
Rootश्रु
FormImperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada
क्रियाभिःby rites/acts
क्रियाभिः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootक्रिया
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Plural
ब्रह्मचर्येणby brahmacarya (celibate studentship)
ब्रह्मचर्येण:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मचर्य
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
प्रजयाby progeny/offspring
प्रजया:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootप्रजा
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
संशयःdoubt
संशयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसंशय
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

मन्दपाल उवाच

देवाः (the gods)
ब्रह्मन् (a brahmin sage, addressed)
मानवाः (human beings)

Educational Q&A

Humans are born with obligations (ṛṇa) that must be repaid through dharmic life: ritual duty (yajña/karma), disciplined Vedic conduct (brahmacarya and study), and continuation of lineage through offspring (prajā). A complete life is framed as responsibly discharging these debts.

Divine beings instruct a brahmin sage about the inborn human obligations and imply that, although he practices austerity and sacrifice, he remains deficient in the debt connected with progeny because he has no children.