Shloka 4
मृत्योर्ब्रह्मणा नियोजनम् — The Commissioning of Mṛtyu by Brahmā
इष्टीक्ष विविधा: प्राप्य क्रतूंश्वैवाप्तदक्षिणान् । प्राप्रोति नैव ब्राह्म॒ण्यमविधानात् कथंचन
iṣṭīkṣa vividhāḥ prāpya kratūṁś caivāptadakṣiṇān | prāpnoti naiva brāhmaṇyam avidhānāt kathaṁcana ||
Sinabi ni Vyāsa: “Kahit maisagawa ang sari-saring handog at matapos ang malalaking paghahandog na Vedic na may itinakdang dakṣiṇā, hindi pa rin tunay na nakakamtan ang kalagayang brāhmaṇa sa anumang paraan kung wala ang wastong disiplina sa loob—ang tamang pamamaraan na nakaugat sa pagkakilala sa Sarili, hindi sa ritwal lamang.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ritual accomplishment—even many sacrifices with generous dakṣiṇā—does not by itself confer true brāhmaṇa status; without the proper inner discipline and self-knowledge, brahminhood is not attained.
In a didactic passage of the Śānti Parva, Vyāsa emphasizes a moral-spiritual criterion for brahminhood, contrasting external ritual success with the necessity of correct inner method (vidhi) rooted in knowledge.