Shloka 14

Pūjya-namaskārya-prakaraṇa

On Those Worthy of Honor and Salutation

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणं यदि दुष्प्रापं त्रिभिर्वर्ण: शतक्रतो

Transliteration

brāhmaṇaṁ yadi duṣprāpaṁ tribhir varṇaḥ śatakrato

Translation

马唐伽说道：“噢，沙塔克拉图（因陀罗）！若在三种阶序之中，真正的婆罗门确实难得，那么当知：婆罗门之位并非仅凭出身的名号，而是以品行与内在德性为根基的稀有成就。”

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणम्: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

• दुष्प्रापम्: hard to obtain/attain
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्प्राप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• त्रिभिः: by/with three
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• वर्णः: class/caste (varna)
• वर्णः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शतक्रतो: O Śatakratu (Indra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शतक्रतु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

मतंग उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Matanga
• Indra (Śatakratu)
• Brāhmaṇa
• Three varṇas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames true brahminhood as rare and difficult to attain, implying it depends on ethical qualities and disciplined conduct rather than being automatically secured by social classification.

What is happening in the narrative?

Matanga addresses Indra (Śatakratu) and makes a pointed observation about how uncommon a genuine brāhmaṇa is among the three varṇas, setting up a discussion on what truly constitutes a brāhmaṇa.