LinuxTurn pages
Upanishads · Muktikā 1.49
॥
Devanāgarī
सेवापराय शिष्याय हितपुत्राय मारुते । मद्भक्ताय सुशीलाय कुलीनाय सुमेधसे
Transliteration (IAST)
sevāparāya śiṣyāya hitaputrāya mārute | madbhaktāya suśīlāya kulīnāya sumedhase
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सेवा-पराय शिष्यायsevā-parāya śiṣyāyato a disciple devoted to service
हित-पुत्राय मारुतेhita-putrāya mārutea good son, son of the Wind
मत्-भक्ताय सु-शीलायmat-bhaktāya su-śīlāyadevoted to me, of good character
कुलीनाय सु-मेधसेkulīnāya su-medhasewell-born, intelligent
Translation
«To a disciple devoted to service, a good son, son of the Wind, devoted to me, of good character, well-born, intelligent…»
Version
c69213778367 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Named now is to whom to give, and the order is worth examining, for it speaks for itself. First stands sevā-para, «devoted to service». Second — hita-putra, «a good son», that is, obedient.
Third — mad-bhakta, «devoted to me». Fourth — su-śīla, «of good character». Fifth — kulīna, «well-born».
Sixth — su-medhas, «intelligent». That is, intellect stands last, and service first; and this order, I think, is the most essential thing in this rule. The same was noted at Dattātreya (1.10), where the first condition was ati-sevā, «greatly serving»; and it was said that in philosophical usage understanding is transmitted, and hence capacity is asked about, while in this usage a relation is transmitted, and hence service is asked about.
Add what must be said plainly of the fifth, for we do not pass over it. Kulīna, «well-born», is a requirement by birth; and we do not accept it. Against it, in the same body of writing, stands the Vajrasūcikā, examined at the thirty-third verse, and Bhāgavatam (7.11.35): if the marks of a brahman are found in a śūdra, he must be reckoned a brahman.
Add what softens this: the word kula means both «lineage» and «a good household», that is, a home where one is well raised; and read so, the requirement pertains to upbringing, not blood. But this reading is our preference, not the only one; and this must be stated.