Word meanings
- śamaḥ
- tranquility
- damaḥ
- restraint
- tapaḥ
- austerity
- śaucam
- purity
- kṣāntiḥ
- patience
- ārjavam
- integrity
- eva
- certainly
- ca
- and
- jñānam
- knowledge
- vijñānam
- wisdom
- āstikyam
- belief in a hereafter
- brahma
- of the priestly class
- karma
- work
- svabhāva-jam
- born of one’s intrinsic qualities
Translations
Serenity, self-restraint, austerity, purity, forgiveness, and uprightness, as well as knowledge, realization, and belief in God, are the duties of Brahmanas, born of their own nature.
Serenity, self-restraint, austerity, purity, forgiveness, uprightness, knowledge, wisdom, and faith in God—these constitute the duty of a spiritual teacher.
The natural duties of the Brahmanas are the control of the internal and external organs, austerity, purity, forgiveness, straightforwardness, knowledge, as well as wisdom [Knowledge refers to the understanding of subjects presented by the scriptures; wisdom means making them matters of one's own experience.], and faith.
मनका निग्रह करना इन्द्रियोंको वशमें करना; धर्मपालनके लिये कष्ट सहना; बाहर-भीतरसे शुद्ध रहना; दूसरोंके अपराधको क्षमा करना; शरीर, मन आदिमें सरलता रखना; वेद, शास्त्र आदिका ज्ञान होना; यज्ञविधिको अनुभवमें लाना; और परमात्मा, वेद आदिमें आस्तिक भाव रखना -- ये सब-के-सब ब्राह्मणके स्वाभाविक कर्म हैं।Commentary
Sama is control of the mind. Dama is control of the senses. Serenity and selfrestraint have already been explained in XVII.2. Austerity of the three kinds has also been explained in XVII.14 to 16. Astikyam Faith in the words of the Guru, in the teachings of the scriptures, in the existence of God, in the life beyond or hereafter and in ones own Self. The mind is absorbed in the Self. This gives peace. Selfrestraint is the helpmate of peace. In obeying the inunctions of the scriptures alone you will attain peace and spiritual progress.
You must not argue too much. You must have reverence for and faith in the teaching. As the sandalwood tree is fragrant with its own sweet scent, as a Champaka tree is adorned by its lovely flowers, so also a Brahmana is adorned by these nine virtues which are inseparable from him. Now? O Arjuna, listen to the duties of a Kshatriya.