Shloka 3

Adhyāya 34: Kṣetrajña-Lakṣaṇa and the Araṇi Metaphor

Mind–Intellect Allegory

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मण उवाच अरणीं ब्राह्माणीं विद्धि गुरुरस्पोत्तरारणि: । तपःश्रुतेडभिमथ्नीतो ज्ञानाग्निर्जायते तत:

Transliteration

brāhmaṇa uvāca | araṇīṁ brāhmaṇīṁ viddhi gurur asyottarāraṇiḥ | tapaḥ-śruteḍ abhimathnīto jñānāgnir jāyate tataḥ |

Translation

婆罗门说道：“当知：智识如同下火钻木，师长如同上火钻木。以苦行为力，并以聆听与省思《吠陀》及《吠檀多》而相互钻磨，则知识之火由此而生。”

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणः: the Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अरणिम्: the fire-stick (arani)
• अरणिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरणि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• ब्राह्माणीम्: the Brahmin woman / lady
• ब्राह्माणीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मणी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• विद्धि: know (you)
• विद्धि: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Imperative, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• गुरुः: the teacher
• गुरुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• असि: you are
• असि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• उत्तर-अरणिः: the upper fire-stick
• उत्तर-अरणिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर-अरणि
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तपः-श्रुतेः: from austerity and (scriptural) hearing/learning
• तपः-श्रुतेः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्-श्रुति
• Form: Feminine, Ablative, Singular

• अभिमथ्नीतः: you two churn/produce by churning
• अभिमथ्नीतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-मथ्
• Form: Present, 2nd, Dual, Parasmaipada

• ज्ञान-अग्निः: the fire of knowledge
• ज्ञान-अग्निः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान-अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जायते: is born / arises
• जायते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• ततः: thereupon / from that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa (speaker)
• guru (teacher)
• araṇī (fire-sticks)
• jñānāgni (fire of knowledge)
• tapas (austerity)
• śruti (Vedic revelation/hearing)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True knowledge arises through the combined ‘friction’ of a competent teacher’s guidance and the student’s inner instrument (intellect), energized by disciplined practice (tapas) and sustained listening and reflection on scripture (śruti).

What is happening in the narrative?

A Brahmin instructs a woman addressed as ‘brāhmaṇī’, using the Vedic image of kindling fire with two araṇis to explain how spiritual insight is generated: guru and intellect, when ‘churned’ by austerity and scriptural study, produce the illuminating fire of knowledge.