Shloka 7

Sāma (Sāntva) and Dāna: The Brāhmaṇa’s Conciliatory Release from a Rākṣasa

Devanagari script

तप: श्रुतं च योनिश्चाप्येतद्‌ ब्राह्मण्यकारणम्‌ | त्रिभिर्गुणै: समुदितस्ततो भवति वै द्विज:

Transliteration

tapaḥ śrutaṃ ca yoniś cāpy etad brāhmaṇya-kāraṇam | tribhir guṇaiḥ samuditas tato bhavati vai dvijaḥ ||

Translation

మైత్రేయుడు అన్నాడు—తపస్సు, శ్రుతి-శాస్త్రజ్ఞానం, మరియు శుద్ధ బ్రాహ్మణ వంశంలో జన్మ—ఇవే బ్రాహ్మణత్వానికి కారణాలు. కాబట్టి ఈ మూడు గుణాలతో సముపేతుడైనవాడే నిజమైన ద్విజుడు.

Word by Word

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• श्रुतम्: learning; sacred knowledge (what is heard)
• श्रुतम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• योनि:च: birth, lineage, origin
• योनि:च: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ब्राह्मण्य-कारणम्: cause of brahminhood
• ब्राह्मण्य-कारणम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण्यकारण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• त्रिभिः: by/with three
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• गुणैः: qualities
• गुणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• समुदितः: endowed (with), furnished
• समुदितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समुदित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ततः: then, thereby
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• भवति: becomes, is
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• द्विजः: twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

मैत्रेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Brahminhood is grounded in a triad: disciplined austerity (tapas), scriptural learning (śruta), and proper lineage/birth (yoni). A person who embodies all three is affirmed as a true dvija.

What is happening in the narrative?

In a didactic passage of the Anuśāsana Parva, the sage Maitreya states criteria for Brahmin identity, emphasizing ethical discipline and learning alongside birth, as part of broader instruction on dharma and social-religious duties.