Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingशमो दमस्तपः शौचं क्षान्तिरार्जवमेव च।
ज्ञानं विज्ञानमास्तिक्यं ब्रह्मकर्म स्वभावजम्
śhamo damas tapaḥ śhauchaṁ kṣhāntir ārjavam eva cha
jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam
Anuṣṭubh
Translation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaThe 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.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
शम, दम, तप, शौच, क्षान्ति, आर्जव, ज्ञान, विज्ञान और आस्तिक्य - ये ब्राह्मण के स्वाभाविक कर्म हैं।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from Vaamshiiशमो दमस् तपश् शौचम्
क्षान् तिरार् जव मेव च
ज्ञानँव् विज्ञान मास् तिक्यम्
ब्रह्म कर्मस् वभाव जम्
॥ ४२ ॥
Read each split group as one breath-unit; hyphens join pādas kept whole for the meter or a compound word. Symbols: # upadhmānīya (visarga before p/ph), % jihvāmūlīya (visarga before k/kh), ऽ avagraha (an elided a). Full method →
Word by word
padārthaśhamaḥtranquility
damaḥrestraint
tapaḥausterity
śhauchampurity
kṣhāntiḥpatience
ārjavamintegrity
evacertainly
chaand
jñānamknowledge
vijñānamwisdom
āstikyambelief in a hereafter
brahmaof the priestly class
karmawork
svabhāva-jamborn of one’s intrinsic qualities
Meaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnA18.42What are the natural duties of the brāhmaṇa?
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.
The verse itself, in Swami Gambhīrānanda's rendering, is the answer. For reasoned solutions to knotty verses, browse the Q&A index.