Shloka 13
अर्जुनदुःखहेतुप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the cause of Arjuna’s recurring hardship
Book 14, Chapter 89
चतुर्धा पृथिवीं कृत्वा चातुर्होत्रप्रमाणत: । नाहमादातुमिच्छामि ब्रह्म॒स्वं द्विजसत्तमा:
caturdhā pṛthivīṃ kṛtvā cāturhotrapramāṇataḥ | nāham ādātum icchāmi brahmasvaṃ dvijasattamaḥ ||
毗湿摩波耶那说：“纵使依四祭官之制——恰图尔霍特拉（Cāturhotra）的尺度——将大地分作四份，我也不愿取用婆罗门之财，即所谓梵财（brahmasva）；噢，最上之二生者。”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts a dharmic limit on acquisition: brahmasva—wealth belonging to Brahmins or set apart for sacred purposes—should not be taken, even if one has the power to divide and distribute the entire earth. It elevates restraint and respect for sanctified ownership over political entitlement.
In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a speaker (addressing a Brahmin as “best of the twice-born”) declares refusal to appropriate brahmasva. The statement functions as a moral clarification within the Ashvamedhika context, where gifts, distributions, and royal authority are prominent themes.