Shloka 26

Adhyāya 262: Śabda-brahman, Para-brahman, and the Ethics of Tyāga

Kapila–Syūmaraśmi Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

सतां वत्मनिवर्तन्ते यजन्ते चाविहिंसया । वनस्पतीनोषधीश्व फल मूलं च ते विदु:

Transliteration

satāṁ vatmanivartante yajante cāvihiṁsayā | vanaspatīnoṣadhīś ca phala-mūlaṁ ca te viduḥ ||

Translation

يسلكون سبيل الصالحين ويؤدّون العبادة بلا عنف. ويعدّون ثمار الأشجار وجذورها، والأعشاب الطبية، قرابينهم وقوتهم اللائق—فيختارون ما يمكن أخذه من غير إيذاء للكائنات الحيّة.

Word by Word

• सताम्: of the good (people)
• सताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• वत्मनि: on the path
• वत्मनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• वर्तन्ते: they proceed / they follow
• वर्तन्ते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Atmanepada

• यजन्ते: they sacrifice / worship
• यजन्ते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Atmanepada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अविहिंसया: with non-violence
• अविहिंसया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविहिंसा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• वनस्पतीन्: trees
• वनस्पतीन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वनस्पति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• ओषधीषु: among herbs / in medicinal plants
• ओषधीषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओषधि
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• फलम्: fruit
• फलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मूलम्: root
• मूलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विदुः: they know / they recognize
• विदुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

Speaker

चुलाधार उवाच

Characters & Entities

• चुलाधार (Tulādhāra)
• सत्/सज्जन (the righteous)
• वनस्पति (trees)
• ओषधि (herbs)
• फल (fruits)
• मूल (roots)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True dharma is aligned with ahiṁsā: the righteous worship and live in ways that avoid harming beings, accepting plant-based offerings like fruits, roots, and herbs as appropriate.

What is happening in the narrative?

Tulādhāra is instructing about the conduct of the virtuous, emphasizing non-violent worship and the choice of harmless sustenance/offerings drawn from fruits, roots, and herbs.