Shloka 60

Teaching on Karma-yoga

Discipline of Action as Worship

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मचार्य्याहरेद्भैक्ष्यं गृहेभ्यः प्रयतोऽन्वहम् । गुरोः कुले न भिक्षेत न ज्ञातिकुलबंधुषु

Transliteration

brahmacāryyāharedbhaikṣyaṃ gṛhebhyaḥ prayato'nvaham | guroḥ kule na bhikṣeta na jñātikulabaṃdhuṣu

Translation

พรหมจารีผู้มีวินัยและความสำรวม พึงออกบิณฑบาตจากเรือนต่าง ๆ ทุกวัน; แต่ไม่พึงขอในตระกูลของครู (คุรุ) และไม่พึงขอในหมู่ญาติพี่น้องและวงศ์วานของตน

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मचारी: a brahmacārin (student)
• ब्रह्मचारी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• आहरेत्: should bring/collect
• आहरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + हृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• भैक्ष्यम्: alms (begged food)
• भैक्ष्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• गृहेभ्यः: from houses
• गृहेभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), बहुवचन

• प्रयतः: restrained/pure
• प्रयतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रयत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण ब्रह्मचारी-शब्दस्य

• अन्वहम्: every day
• अन्वहम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्वहम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time: 'daily')

• गुरोः: of the teacher
• गुरोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• कुले: in the household/family
• कुले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• भिक्षेत: should beg
• भिक्षेत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• न: nor/not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• ज्ञाति-कुल-बन्धुषु: among relatives and family connections
• ज्ञाति-कुल-बन्धुषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञाति (प्रातिपदिक) + कुल (प्रातिपदिक) + बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (श्रृङ्खला): 'ज्ञातीनां कुलबन्धुषु'

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic narration within Svarga-khaṇḍa context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: ब्रह्मचार्य्याहरेद्भैक्ष्यं = ब्रह्मचारी + आहरेत् + भैक्ष्यम्; प्रयतोऽन्वहम् = प्रयतः + अन्वहम्.

FAQs

Why does the verse forbid begging in the guru’s family and among one’s relatives?

It protects the brahmacārin from favoritism and attachment, ensuring humility and impartial discipline while maintaining appropriate boundaries with the teacher’s household and one’s own kin.

What daily discipline is prescribed for a brahmacārin here?

He should collect bhaikṣā (alms) every day from households, doing so with self-restraint and purity of conduct.

What ethical lesson does this verse teach beyond student life?

It emphasizes integrity and non-dependence on personal connections—seeking support without exploiting close relationships, and practicing detachment and humility.