Shloka 6

Rājapurohita-lakṣaṇa and Purūravas–Vāyu Saṃvāda

Varṇa, Sovereignty, and Abhaya-dāna

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणो जायमानो हि पृथिव्यामनुजायते । ईश्वर: सर्वभूतानां धर्मकोशस्य गुप्तये,ब्राह्मण जन्मकालसे ही भूतलपर धर्मकोषकी रक्षाके लिये अन्य सब वर्णोका नियन्ता होता है

Transliteration

brāhmaṇo jāyamāno hi pṛthivyām anujāyate | īśvaraḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ dharmakośasya guptaye ||

Translation

బ్రాహ్మణుడు భూమిపై జన్మించినప్పుడు, ధర్మకోశాన్ని కాపాడుటకైనే అతడు మళ్లీ జన్మించినవాడివలె అవుతాడు; ధర్మభాండాగార రక్షణార్థం సమస్త భూతాలకు నియంతవలె నిలుస్తాడు.

Word by Word

ब्राह्मणःa Brahmin

जायमानःbeing born

हिindeed/for

पृथिव्याम्on the earth

अनुafter/along; in accordance

जायतेis born/comes into being

ईश्वरःlord/controller

सर्वभूतानाम्of all beings

धर्मकोशस्यof the treasury/store of dharma

गुप्तयेfor protection/guarding

Speaker

पुरूरवा उवाच

Characters & Entities

Purūravas

brāhmaṇa

pṛthivī (earth)

dharma-kośa (treasury of dharma)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents the brāhmaṇa’s ideal function as safeguarding and preserving dharma—conceived as a ‘treasury’—and exercising moral-regulative authority for the welfare of all beings, not for personal dominance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Purūravas is speaking in a didactic context within Śānti Parva, articulating a normative view of social and ethical order: the brāhmaṇa, by birth and vocation, is portrayed as a protector of dharma and a stabilizing guide for society.