Shloka 2

Satya-lakṣaṇa (The Characteristics and Forms of Truth) | सत्यलक्षणम्

Devanagari script

न्यग्भावं परमं वायो: शाल्मले त्वमुपागत: । तवाहमस्मीति सदा येन रक्षति मारुत:,शाल्मले! मालूम होता है, तुम वायुके सामने अत्यन्त विनम्र होकर कहते हो कि “मैं तो आपका ही हूँ इसीसे वह सदा तुम्हारी रक्षा करता है

Transliteration

nyagbhāvaṃ paramaṃ vāyoḥ śālmale tvam upāgataḥ | tavāham asmīti sadā yena rakṣati mārutaḥ ||

Translation

Nārada sprach: „O Śālmalī, du hast vor Vāyu die äußerste Demut angenommen und erklärst stets: ‚Ich gehöre dir.‘ Gerade wegen dieser Haltung beschützt dich Māruta (der Wind) unablässig.“

Word by Word

न्यग्भावम्humility, submissive attitude

परमम्supreme, utmost

वायोःof Vayu (the Wind-god)

शाल्मलेO Shalmali (silk-cotton tree)

त्वम्you

उपागतःhaving approached, having attained

तवof you, your

अहम्I

अस्मिam

इतिthus (quotative)

सदाalways

येनby which, whereby

रक्षतिprotects

मारुतःMaruta, the Wind (Vayu)

शाल्मलेO Shalmali

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Vāyu

Māruta

Śālmali (tree)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Humility and loyal self-surrender—expressed as “I am yours”—invite protection and support from a greater power; ethical strength here is shown not by dominance but by reverent submission and gratitude.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada addresses the Śālmali tree and explains why the Wind (Vāyu/Māruta) protects it: the tree maintains an attitude of deep humility toward Vāyu and repeatedly affirms its belonging to him.