Verse 14

Parabrahma

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

कर्मण्यधिकृताः ये तु वैदिके लौकिकेऽपि वा । ब्राह्मणाभासमात्रेण जीवन्ते कुक्षिपूरकाः । व्रजन्ते निरयं ते तु पुनर्जन्मनि जन्मनि ॥१४॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

कर्मणि-अधिकृताः । ये । तु । वैदिके । लौकिके-अपि । वा । ब्राह्मण-आभास-मात्रेण । जीवन्ते । कुक्षि-पूरकाः । व्रजन्ते । निरयम् । ते । तु । पुनः-जन्मनि । जन्मनि ॥१४॥

IAST Transliteration

karmaṇy adhikṛtā ye tu vaidike laukike 'pi vā | brāhmaṇābhāsamātreṇa jīvante kukṣipūrākāḥ | vrajante nirayaṃ te tu punarjanmani janmani ||14||

Translation

வைதிகமோ லௌகிகமோ ஆகிய கர்மங்களில் அதிகாரம் இருந்தும், வெறும் பிராமண-ஆபாசத்தால் வயிறு நிரப்ப வாழ்பவர்கள்—அவர்கள் பிறவி பிறவியாக நிச்சயமாக நரகத்திற்குச் செல்கின்றனர்.

Academic Translation

But those who are authorized for action—whether Vedic or even worldly—who live merely by the semblance of being Brahmins, filling their bellies: they go to hell, indeed, in birth after birth.

Verse Context

• Karma vs. jñāna; hypocrisy (dharma-ābhāsa) and bondage (saṃsāra)
• Mahavakya: Indirect: underscores that without realization of the Self (as in ‘अहं ब्रह्मास्मि’/‘तत् त्वम् असि’), ritual/social identity cannot liberate; karma done for gain perpetuates saṃsāra.
• Atharva
• Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (śloka)