Shloka 26
Pūjya-namaskārya-prakaraṇa
On Those Worthy of Honor and Salutation
एवमेतत् परं स्थान ब्राह्म॒ण्यं नाम भारत । तच्च दुष्प्रापमिह वै महेन्द्रवचनं यथा
evam etat paraṁ sthānaṁ brāhmaṇyaṁ nāma bhārata | tac ca duṣprāpam iha vai mahendravacanaṁ yathā ||
Wika ni Śakra (Indra): “Ganyan nga, O Bhārata: ang kalagayang tinatawag na brāhmaṇya ang siyang pinakamataas na katayuan. At sa mismong buhay na ito, tunay na mahirap itong makamtan ng mga kabilang sa iba pang kaayusang panlipunan—gaya ng ipinahayag ni Mahendra (Indra).”
शक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates brāhmaṇya as the highest ethical-spiritual station, implying it is defined by demanding virtues (such as truth, restraint, learning, and purity of conduct) and is therefore difficult for others to attain within a single lifetime.
Indra (Śakra/Mahendra) is speaking to a person addressed as “Bhārata,” affirming a prior point: that brāhmaṇya is the supreme status and that achieving it is rare and difficult for those outside that ideal or social order.