Mahābhārata · 1.148.11
॥
Devanāgarī
ब्राह्मणाः कस्य वक्तव्याः कस्य वा छन्दचारिणः ॥
गुणैर् एते हि वास्यन्ते कामगाः पक्षिणो यथा ॥
Transliteración (IAST)
brāhmaṇāḥ kasya vaktavyāḥ kasya vā chandacāriṇaḥ ||
guṇair ete hi vāsyante kāmagāḥ pakṣiṇo yathā ||
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
ब्राह्मणाः कस्य वक्तव्याः कस्य वा छन्दचारिणःbrāhmaṇāḥ kasya vaktavyāḥ kasya vā chandacāriṇaḥ"brahmins — to whom are they subject in speech, to whom are they bound, wandering freely as they do?
गुणैः एते हि वास्यन्ते कामगाः पक्षिणः यथाguṇaiḥ ete hi vāsyante kāmagāḥ pakṣiṇaḥ yathāfor they dwell wherever they wish, by their own merits, like free-flying birds"
गुणैर्guṇairoriginal form "guṇair", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
पक्षिणोpakṣiṇooriginal form "pakṣiṇo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Traducción
"Brahmins — to whom are they subject, to whom are they bound, they who wander freely? For they dwell wherever they wish, by their own merits, like free-flying birds."
Versión
da80cd5c37bd · publicado 12 jul 2026, 17:09:57 UTC
Disponible enRUENPasa de verso en verso con
Here the brahmin bitterly recalls a freedom he did not use. The comparison to free birds is significant: a brahmin, not bound to any place, could have left an evil realm, for everywhere he lives "by his own merits" — by learning and virtue he will find shelter anywhere. In these words is a reproach to himself: having the freedom to depart from evil, he stayed — and attachment was his ruin. Thus the verse shows that freedom not put to good use turns into a reproach; and one who could have left wrongdoing but stayed, out of negligence or attachment, shares the bitterness of its fruits.