Shloka 35

The Deliverance of King Nṛga and the Warning Against Taking Brāhmaṇa Property

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मस्वं दुरनुज्ञातं भुक्तं हन्ति त्रिपूरुषम् । प्रसह्य तु बलाद् भुक्तं दश पूर्वान् दशापरान् ॥ ३५ ॥

Transliteration

brahma-svaṁ duranujñātaṁ bhuktaṁ hanti tri-pūruṣam prasahya tu balād bhuktaṁ daśa pūrvān daśāparān

Translation

Nếu hưởng tài sản bà-la-môn mà không có sự cho phép đúng đắn, tài sản ấy hủy diệt ba đời. Nhưng nếu cưỡng đoạt bằng bạo lực hay nhờ quyền lực nhà nước để chiếm đoạt rồi hưởng, thì mười đời tổ tiên và mười đời con cháu đều bị diệt vong.

Synonyms

• brahma-svam: a brāhmaṇa’s property
• brahma-svam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā/Accusative (1/2), Ekavacana

• dur-anujñātam: improperly permitted/unauthorized
• dur-anujñātam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + anu-jñā (धातु) → anujñāta (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त) with prefix anu- and dur-; Napumsaka, Prathamā/Accusative, Ekavacana; ‘badly/without proper permission’ qualifying brahma-svam

• bhuktam: consumed
• bhuktam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (धातु) → bhukta (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Napumsaka, Prathamā/Accusative, Ekavacana; predicative with brahma-svam

• hanti: kills/destroys
• hanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

• tri-pūruṣam: three generations/persons
• tri-pūruṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + pūruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā (2), Ekavacana; dvigu ‘three persons/generations’

• prasahya: forcibly
• prasahya: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-sah (धातु) → prasahya (अव्ययभाव/क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Gerund/absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्) used adverbially: ‘by forcefully doing’

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction/contrastive particle

• balāt: by force
• balāt: Hetu (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Pañcamī (5 विभक्ति), Ekavacana; ablative of cause ‘from force’

• bhuktam: consumed
• bhuktam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (धातु) → bhukta (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Napumsaka, Prathamā/Accusative, Ekavacana; ellipsis: ‘(brahma-svam) consumed’

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक; numeral)
• Form: Numeral adjective, Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā (2), Bahuvacana implied with pūrvān

• pūrvān: the former (ancestors)
• pūrvān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā (2), Bahuvacana; ‘former (ancestors)’

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक; numeral)
• Form: Numeral adjective, Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana implied with aparān

• daśa-aparān: the latter ten (descendants)
• daśa-aparān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक) + apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā (2), Bahuvacana; sandhi in text: daśāparān = daśa + aparān

Purport

According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, tri-pūruṣa refers to oneself, one’s sons and one’s grandsons.

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about taking a brāhmaṇa’s property (brahmasva)?

This verse warns that enjoying a brāhmaṇa’s property without proper permission brings severe ruin—destroying three generations, and if taken by force, destroying ten generations before and ten after.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī emphasize such heavy consequences for brahmasva?

In the Bhagavatam’s dharma framework, harming or exploiting brāhmaṇas and sacred trust undermines spiritual order; therefore the karmic reaction is described as exceptionally grave.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Avoid exploiting religious institutions, teachers, or charitable funds; seek clear consent, fair exchange, and ethical conduct—especially with sacred or entrusted resources.