शमो दमस्तपः शौचं क्षान्तिरार्जवमेव च ।ज्ञानं विज्ञानमास्तिक्यं ब्रह्मकर्म स्वभावजम् ॥
śamo damas tapaḥ śaucaṃ kṣāntir ārjavam eva ca |jñānaṃ vijñānam āstikyaṃ brahmakarma svabhāvajam ||
- शमः · śamaḥ
- calmness
- दमः · damaḥ
- self-restraint
- तपः · tapaḥ
- austerity
- शौचम् · śaucam
- purity
- क्षान्तिः · kṣāntiḥ
- patience, forgiveness
- आर्जवम् · ārjavam
- uprightness
- ज्ञानम् · jñānam
- knowledge
- विज्ञानम् · vijñānam
- realized wisdom
- आस्तिक्यम् · āstikyam
- faith, conviction
- ब्रह्मकर्म · brahmakarma
- the work of a brahmana
- स्वभावजम् · svabhāvajam
- born of nature
“Calmness, restraint, austerity, purity, patience, uprightness, knowledge, realized wisdom, and faith — these are the natural duties of a brahmana.”
— Original plain-language translation
The brahmana's work is inward and contemplative: mastery of mind (śama) and senses (dama), plus the virtues of the divine nature from 16.1–16.3. Knowledge (jñāna) matures into lived realization (vijñāna). The list defines a teacher's character, not a birthright.
— Reader's notes (original)