Shloka 28

Indra–Mataṅga Saṃvāda: On the rarity and responsibilities of Brāhmaṇya (इन्द्र-मतङ्ग संवादः)

Devanagari script

ब्राह्माण्यं प्रार्थयानस्त्वमप्राप्यमकृतात्मभि: । विनशिष्यसि दुर्बुद्धे तदुपारम माचिरम्‌

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | brāhmaṇyaṁ prārthayānas tvam aprāpyam akṛtātmabhiḥ | vinaśiṣyasi durbuddhe tad upārama mā ciram ||

Translation

Bhishma nói: “Ngươi đang cầu xin địa vị và hạnh kiểm của một Bà-la-môn chân chính; nhưng đối với kẻ nội tâm chưa được gọt giũa, còn ô uế, thì điều ấy không thể đạt. Hỡi kẻ lầm lạc, ngươi sẽ tiêu vong trong khi van nài ‘Bà-la-môn tính’ mà vẫn chẳng được. Vậy hãy dứt bỏ sự cố chấp ấy ngay.”

Word by Word

• ब्राह्माण्यम्: Brahminhood, the state of being a Brahmin
• ब्राह्माण्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्माण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रार्थयमानः: requesting, begging
• प्रार्थयमानः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रार्थय् (धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अप्राप्यम्: unattainable, not obtainable
• अप्राप्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्राप्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular, यत् (gerundive; 'to be obtained' with negation)

• अकृतात्मभिः: by/for those of unrefined (uncontrolled) self
• अकृतात्मभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकृतात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• विनशिष्यसि: you will perish / be ruined
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नश् (धातु)
• Form: Lat (Present), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दुर्बुद्धे: O foolish-minded one
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तत्: that (i.e., that request/effort)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उपारम: cessation, stopping
• उपारम: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपारम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मा: do not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (निषेध-अव्यय)

• चिरम्: for long; long (time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Brahminhood is presented as an ethical-spiritual qualification grounded in inner purity and self-cultivation, not something gained merely by asking or insisting; without refinement of character, the goal remains unattainable.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma admonishes a misguided seeker who is demanding or pleading for Brahmin status; he warns that such insistence, without inner transformation, leads only to ruin and urges immediate renunciation of the futile demand.