Shloka 3

ब्रह्मस्वहरण-निषेधः — Prohibition of Appropriating Brahmin Property

Brahmasva

Devanagari script

राजन्य उवाच वृद्धरूपोडसि चाण्डाल बालवच्च विचेष्टसे । श्वखराणां रज:सेवी कस्मादुद्धिजसे गवाम्‌

Transliteration

rājanya uvāca | vṛddharūpo 'si caṇḍāla bālavac ca viceṣṭase | śvakhārāṇāṃ rajaḥ-sevī kasmād uddvijase gavām ||

Translation

క్షత్రియుడు అన్నాడు— ఓ చండాలా! నీవు వృద్ధుడివైనా బాలుడిలా ప్రవర్తిస్తున్నావు. కుక్కలు, గాడిదల ధూళికి అలవాటుపడ్డవాడివై, గోవుల ధూళి వల్ల ఎందుకు ఇంత కలత చెందుతున్నావు?

Word by Word

• राजन्यः: the kshatriya (royal man)
• राजन्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वृद्धरूपः: having an old appearance
• वृद्धरूपः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्धरूप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• असि: you are
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• चाण्डाल: O outcaste (Chandala)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाण्डाल
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• बालवत्: like a child
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बालवत्

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

• विचेष्टसे: you behave / you act
• Type: Verb
• Root: चेष्ट्
• Form: Present, 2nd, Singular, Atmanepada

• श्वखराणाम्: of dogs and donkeys
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वखर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• रजःसेवी: one who consumes/serves dust
• रजःसेवी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रजःसेविन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कस्मात्: why? / from what reason?
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• उद्विजसे: you are disturbed / you shrink away
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्विज्
• Form: Present, 2nd, Singular, Atmanepada

• गवाम्: of cows
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

Speaker

राजन्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• rājanya (a Kshatriya speaker)
• caṇḍāla
• cows (gāvaḥ)
• dogs (śva)
• donkeys (khara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how social prejudice and notions of purity/pollution can be weaponized through speech. Ethically, it invites reflection on whether one’s agitation is grounded in genuine dharma or in status-based contempt and hypocrisy.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Kshatriya addresses a Caṇḍāla with scorn, pointing out that although the man appears old he behaves childishly, and mocking him for being disturbed by cow-dust despite being accustomed to the dust associated with dogs and donkeys.