Shloka 12

दानपात्रापात्र-निर्णयः / Determining Worthy Gifts, Recipients, and Permissible Food

Devanagari script

पितामहसुतं ज्येष्ठ॑ कुमारं दीप्ततेजसम्‌ । अध्यात्मगतितत्त्वज्ञमुपाशिक्षत य: पुरा

Transliteration

pitāmaha-sutaṁ jyeṣṭhaṁ kumāraṁ dīpta-tejasam | adhyātma-gati-tattva-jñam upāśikṣata yaḥ purā ||

Translation

毗湿摩耶那说道：往昔，他曾从善达俱摩罗受得灵性之学——此人乃祖父（梵天）之长子，光辉炽盛，洞知自我内行之道与归趣之真实原则。

Word by Word

• पितामहसुतम्: the son of the grandsire (Brahmā)
• पितामहसुतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामहसुत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ज्येष्ठम्: eldest
• ज्येष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कुमारम्: the youth; Kumāra (Sanatkumāra)
• कुमारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दीप्ततेजसम्: of blazing splendor
• दीप्ततेजसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्ततेजस्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अध्यात्मगतितत्त्वज्ञम्: knower of the truth of the course/way of the self (spiritual path)
• अध्यात्मगतितत्त्वज्ञम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अध्यात्मगतितत्त्वज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपाशिक्षत: he learned; he received instruction
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-शिक्ष्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुरा: formerly; in olden times
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Brahmā (Pitāmaha)
• Sanatkumāra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the legitimacy and ethical authority of spiritual counsel grounded in authentic instruction: true guidance on dharma and inner liberation is strengthened when it comes through a recognized lineage of Self-knowledge, here traced to Sanatkumāra, a paradigmatic teacher of adhyātma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing a figure’s prior training: in ancient times, he studied adhyātma (knowledge of the Self) under Sanatkumāra, Brahmā’s eldest son, renowned for spiritual brilliance and insight into the soul’s path and ultimate attainment.