Shloka 13
Vītahavya’s Attainment of Brāhmaṇya (Vītahavya–Vipratva) | वीतहव्यस्य ब्राह्मण्यप्राप्तिः
तं च प्राप्य चिरं काल॑ तत्रैव परिवर्तते | ततश्चतुःशते काले श्रोत्रियो नाम जायते । श्रोत्रियत्वे चिरं काल॑ तत्रैव परिवर्तते
taṃ ca prāpya ciraṃ kālaṃ tatraiva parivartate | tataś catuḥśate kāle śrotriyo nāma jāyate | śrotriyatve ciraṃ kālaṃ tatraiva parivartate |
اس حالت کو پا کر بھی وہ طویل عرصہ تک وہیں، اسی دَشا میں گردش کرتا رہتا ہے۔ پھر چار سو زمانہ گزرنے پر وہ ‘شروتریہ’ کے نام سے—یعنی وید کا جاننے والا—برہمن کے خاندان میں جنم لیتا ہے؛ اور شروتریہ ہونے پر بھی وہ دیر تک اسی دائرۂ وجود میں آواگमन کرتا رہتا ہے۔
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Karmic evolution is gradual: one may remain long within a given mode of existence, and only after time and maturation of merit does one attain a higher birth—here, the status of a śrotriya Brāhmaṇa—yet even that status involves continued saṃsāric movement unless supported by sustained dharmic conduct and deeper realization.
Bhīṣma is describing a being’s post-action trajectory through saṃsāra: after reaching a certain birth, he keeps revolving there for a long time; after a span described as four hundred years, he is born into a Brāhmaṇa family as a śrotriya (Veda-knower) and continues to circulate within that condition for a long time.