Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 21

ब्रह्मस्वहरण-निषेधः — Prohibition of Appropriating Brahmin Property

Brahmasva

Devanagari script

स्वाध्यायैस्तु महत्पापं हरन्ति गृहमेधिन:

Transliteration

svādhyāyais tu mahat pāpaṁ haranti gṛhamedhinaḥ

Translation

Ang maybahay (gṛhastha), sa pamamagitan ng svādhyāya—masigasig na pag-aaral sa sarili at pagbigkas ng mga banal na kasulatan—ay nakapapawi maging ng mabigat na kasalanan. Pinatutunayan ng pahayag na ang disiplinadong pagkatuto at araw-araw na pagsasanay sa kasulatan ay hindi lamang gawaing pang-isip, kundi paglilinis na moral na maaabot sa karaniwang buhay-pamilya.

Word by Word

• स्वाध्यायैः: by (means of) self-study/recitation of sacred texts
• स्वाध्यायैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाध्याय
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पापम्: sin/evil
• पापम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• हरन्ति: they remove/take away
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• गृहमेधिनः: householders
• गृहमेधिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहमेधिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

चाण्डाल उवाच

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Regular svādhyāya—disciplined study and recitation of sacred teachings—has purificatory power; even a householder engaged in worldly responsibilities can remove grave moral taint through sustained scriptural practice.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker identified as a Caṇḍāla states a dharma-principle: householders are not excluded from spiritual purification; through svādhyāya they can eradicate great sin, emphasizing practice over social status.