Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 12

ब्रह्मस्वहरण-निषेधः — Prohibition of Appropriating Brahmin Property

Brahmasva

Devanagari script

तस्मात्‌ सोमो<प्यविक्रेय: पुरुषेण विपश्चिता । विक्रयं त्विह सोमस्य गर्हयन्ति मनीषिण:

Transliteration

tasmāt somo 'py avikreyaḥ puruṣeṇa vipaścitā | vikrayaṁ tv iha somasya garhayanti manīṣiṇaḥ ||

Translation

因此，有识之士连苏摩（Soma）也不应售卖。因为在此世间，智者严厉谴责苏摩之交易，视之为不合正法、为求法者所不当为的恶行。

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that reason
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• सोमः: Soma (soma-juice)
• सोमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अविक्रेयः: not to be sold/unsaleable
• अविक्रेयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविक्रेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुरुषेण: by a man
• पुरुषेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विपश्चिता: wise/learned
• विपश्चिता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपश्चित्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विक्रयम्: sale/selling
• विक्रयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विक्रय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• इह: here/in this world
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• सोमस्य: of Soma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• गर्हयन्ति: they censure/condemn
• Type: Verb
• Root: गर्ह्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• मनीषिणः: the wise (men)
• मनीषिणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनीषिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

चाण्डाल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Soma (sacred Soma-juice / deity Soma)
• Chāṇḍāla (speaker)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A wise person should not commercialize what is sacred: the sale of Soma (a ritual substance) is condemned by the learned, implying that dharmic conduct includes restraint in livelihood and respect for ritual sanctity.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker (a Chāṇḍāla) states a normative rule within a dharma-discussion: Soma is not to be sold, and the wise criticize those who engage in such trade.