Shloka 163
Adhyāya 262: Śabda-brahman, Para-brahman, and the Ethics of Tyāga
Kapila–Syūmaraśmi Saṃvāda
ब्रह्मैव वर्तते लोके नैव कर्तव्यतां पुन: । जो करने योग्य कर्मोको अपना कर्तव्य समझता है और उसका पालन न होनेपर भय मानता है
brahmaiva vartate loke naiva kartavyatāṃ punaḥ |
Ang Brahman lamang ang lumalaganap at kumikilos sa daigdig na ito; kaya walang hiwalay at nakagapos na “dapat gawin” bukod sa Kanya. Ang sinumang nakakakita sa lahat ng sangkap ng ritwal—ang pari, ang handog, ang mantra, at ang apoy—na pawang Brahman, at hindi inaangkin ang alinmang tungkulin bilang “akin” (malaya sa pagmamataas ng pagiging gumagawa), siya ang tunay na brāhmaṇa.
चुलाधार उवाच
Educational Q&A
Seeing Brahman as the sole reality behind all actions and ritual elements dissolves the ego of doership and possessive duty; true brāhmaṇa-hood is defined by this non-appropriating wisdom rather than by mere ritual performance.
Cūlādhāra is instructing his interlocutor in Śānti Parva by redefining dharma and brahminhood: he shifts the focus from fear-driven obligation and external ritual identity to inner realization—everything involved in sacrifice is Brahman, and one should act without the conceit ‘I am the doer’ or ‘this duty is mine’.