Shloka 15
Adhyāya 26 — Ekākṣara-Brahman (“Om”) and the Hṛdayastha Guru
Inner Teacher
कामचारी तु कामेन य इन्द्रियसुखे रत: । ब्रह्मचारी सदैवैष य इन्द्रियजये रत:,इसी तरह कामनाओंके द्वारा इन्द्रियसुखमें परायण मनुष्य कामचारी और इन्द्रियसंयममें प्रवृत्त रहनेवाला पुरुष सदा ही ब्रह्मचारी है
kāmacārī tu kāmena ya indriyasukhe rataḥ | brahmacārī sadaivaiṣa ya indriyajaye rataḥ ||
Vị bà-la-môn nói: “Kẻ bị dục vọng thúc đẩy, say đắm trong khoái lạc của các giác quan thì gọi là kẻ theo dục (kāmacārī). Còn người luôn chuyên chú chế ngự các giác quan thì thật sự là một brahmacārin mãi mãi.”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
True brahmacarya is defined by inner mastery: a person absorbed in sense-pleasures under the sway of desire is a kāmacārī, whereas one devoted to conquering the senses is always a brahmacārī, regardless of external appearance.
A brāhmaṇa speaker is giving a moral definition that contrasts two life-orientations—indulgence driven by kāma versus disciplined restraint—clarifying that ethical identity depends on conduct and self-control.