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Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārad bhaved dvijaḥ

This is the verse in question which means:

Everyone is born a shudra and by samskara one upgrades to dvija status.

  1. Is it the Bhagavata Purana that contains this verse? If not which scripture contains it?

  2. What was the context in which it was said?

4 Answers 4

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No this shloka is not from Shreemad Bhagvat Purana.

This shloka is given in Skanda Purana Vol.18 Book VI , Nagar Kanda , Chapter 239 , ( Efficacy of Adoration , Penance etc.) Verse 31-34

जन्मना जायते शूद्रः संस्कारात् द्विज उच्यते।
शापानुग्रहसामर्थ्यं तथा क्रोधः प्रसन्नता ।|31-34||

31 : A Man is no better than a sudra at his birth .He is called Brahmana (Twice Born) due to the consecration. The ability to curse and to bless, the state of being angry and pleased and the status of being the foremost in all three worlds occur only in Brahmana

This chapter is about adoration of Lord Vishnu is performed by means of Sixteen Upacharas. (Shodasopachara puja) (षोडशोपचार पूजा). This shloka is used in context of Achamana ,Yajnopavita , Dvija's. But the specific chapter talks about Devotion , Chatrumas puja and Panchyatana puja.


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  • @Ajay - Welcome , I think that's not the scope of this answer.May be you should ask a different question here reagarding the clarification you want.I will try to answer based on scriptures. May 31, 2017 at 11:11
  • Which text the photo is taken from? I think there are variants of this verse too Jun 27, 2017 at 11:49
  • @RakeshJoshi All Puranas you see on this site or on Vedic mum site are Bombay Manuscripts printed at Venkateswara press.
    – The Destroyer
    Feb 24, 2018 at 17:02
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The context of the verse is:

A Brahmin is compared with Shudra at his birth (just like a Shudra cannot able to learn Vedas throughout his entire life, a Brahmana also cannot learn until he undergoes Upanayana).

Then after he completed his Upanayana, he becomes a dwija, that is Samskara Bhaved Uchhyate.

So, this verse doesn't mean all humans are born Shudras.

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  • 1
    You should mention verses and scriptures and should say context.
    – The Destroyer
    Sep 17, 2017 at 11:40
  • First you should mention which scripture contains it. Then u should mention in which context was the verse said in that scripture. That is what i am asking in the question.
    – Rickross
    Sep 17, 2017 at 11:44
  • @Rickross SwiftPushkar already said which scripture contain this verse.
    – user9554
    Sep 17, 2017 at 12:07
  • @Ajay Then what is the need for a new answer?
    – Rickross
    Sep 17, 2017 at 12:08
  • @Rickross I just provided the context of the verse. If you want, I will add the source of the verse.
    – user9554
    Sep 17, 2017 at 12:10
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The full Verse as I read(Source not known exactly, but I think Manu Samhita).

जन्मना जायते शूद्रः संस्कारात् द्विज उच्यते।
वेदाभ्यास भवति विप्र ब्रह्मम जानति ब्राह्मणः||

(Seeking correction and clarification)

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    I think Manu Smriti aka Manu Samhita doesn't contain this verse.
    – The Destroyer
    Aug 24, 2017 at 6:12
0

जन्मते शूद्र पुनः गयी शूद्रा। कृत्रिम जनेऊ घाली जगधुदा।

By birth one become Shudra, Now blind Shudras Now again make dividing line among them. How futile. _By kabir

जन्मान जायते शूद्र। विप्रयत द्विज (ब्राह्मण)। Lo! Whoever took birth is Shudra. But by purification of mind and attaining Vedic knowledge by faith one become Dwija (Brahman) _ By Atri rushi

Buddha set this aside for vain ritual of casteism born from Vedic knowledge misunderstood by blind so called Kaliyuga duplicate Brahmin and said " By deeds one become brahmana."

Hence everyone should have faith in heart for Truth and become Brahman (cutting tie of birth n death) is the message behind the statement.

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    Can you add references or sources for those quotes? Also, words of Buddha are not accepted on this forum.
    – The Destroyer
    Nov 29, 2017 at 14:55

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