Shloka 51

Devanagari script

तपोधर्मदमेज्याभिरविप्रा यान्ति यथा दिवम्‌ | दानातिथ्यक्रियाधर्मर्यान्ति वैश्याश्व सद्गतिम्‌

Transliteration

tapo-dharma-dama-ejyābhir aviprā yānti yathā divam | dāna-atithya-kriyā-dharmair yānti vaiśyāś ca sadgatim ||

Translation

ด้วยตบะ ความประพฤติชอบ การสำรวมตน และการบูชายัญ ผู้มิใช่พราหมณ์ก็ยังบรรลุสวรรค์ได้; และด้วยทาน การต้อนรับแขก และการประกอบกิจตามธรรมที่กำหนดไว้ พวกไวศยะก็ย่อมถึงสุคติ

Word by Word

तपःby austerity

धर्मby righteousness/duty

दमby self-control

इज्याभिःby sacrifices/worship (rites)

विप्राःbrahmins

यान्तिgo/attain

यथाas/just as

दिवम्heaven

दानby giving/charity

आतिथ्यby hospitality

क्रियाby (proper) acts/observances

धर्मैःby duties/virtues

यान्तिgo/attain

वैश्याःvaisyas

चand

सद्गतिम्good state/destination

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

vaiśyas

aviprāḥ (non-brāhmaṇas)

diva (heaven)

sadgati (good destination)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that spiritual and ethical attainment is accessible through appropriate virtues and duties: austerity, righteousness, self-control, and worship lead to heaven even for non-brāhmaṇas, while charity, hospitality, and faithful performance of prescribed duties lead vaiśyas to an auspicious destiny.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a general dharma-instruction is being stated: different social groups are described as reaching higher states through the virtues and duties especially associated with them, emphasizing conduct over mere status.