Verse 18.42
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
शमो दमस्तपः शौचं क्षान्तिरार्जवमेव च | ज्ञानं विज्ञानमास्तिक्यं ब्रह्मकर्म स्वभावजम् ||४२||
Transliteration (IAST)
śamo damas tapaḥ śaucaṁ kṣāntir ārjavam eva ca | jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam ||42||
Word-by-Word Meanings
śamaḥ-tranquility
damaḥ-self-control
tapaḥ-austerity
śaucam-purity
kṣāntiḥ-forgiveness/patience
jñānam-knowledge
vijñānam-wisdom/realization
āstikyam-faith in the scriptures
Translation
Serenity, self-control, austerity, purity, forgiveness, uprightness, knowledge, realization, and faith in God - these are the duties of a Brahmana, born of his own nature.
Commentary
Krishna enumerates the natural qualities and duties of a Brahmana. Shankaracharya distinguishes between jnana (theoretical knowledge of scriptures) and vijnana (direct experiential realization). Madhva notes that these qualities arise naturally in one whose sattva guna predominates, making spiritual pursuits their natural dharma.
Themes
dharmajnanaduty
Related Verses
dharma3 verses