Shloka 29

Adhyāya 222 — ब्रह्मस्थानप्राप्ति: मोक्षधर्मे समत्वव्रतम्

Attaining the Brahman-Station: The Vow of Equanimity in Mokṣadharma

Devanagari script

निर्ममो निरहंकारो निराशीर्मुक्तबन्धन: । स्वस्थो व्यपेत: पश्यामि भूतानां प्रभवाप्ययौं

Transliteration

nirmamo nirahaṅkāro nirāśīr muktabandhanaḥ | svastho vyapetaḥ paśyāmi bhūtānāṃ prabhavāpyayau ||

Translation

Prahlāda sprach: Frei von Besitzanspruch und Ich-Dünkel, ohne Begehren und ohne Erwartung, von allen Fesseln gelöst, verweile ich in innerer Ruhe und Unanhaftung. Aus dieser festen Klarheit schaue ich das Entstehen und Vergehen aller Wesen.

Word by Word

निर्ममःfree from possessiveness

निरहंकारःwithout ego

निराशीःwithout expectation/desire

मुक्तबन्धनःwhose bonds are released; freed from bondage

स्वस्थःself-abiding; composed

व्यपेतःwithdrawn; departed (from attachments)

पश्यामिI see

भूतानाम्of beings

प्रभवाप्ययौorigin and dissolution

Speaker

प्रह्माद उवाच

Characters & Entities

प

प्रह्लाद (Prahlāda)

भ

भूतानि (beings)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Freedom from ‘mine’ (mamatā) and ‘I’ (ahaṅkāra), along with the dropping of craving for results, leads to inner steadiness. From that detached stability one gains clear insight into impermanence—the continual arising and dissolution of beings—supporting a mokṣa-oriented ethical life grounded in non-attachment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Prahlāda is speaking in a didactic context within Śānti Parva, describing his realized state: unbound by attachment and ego, he remains tranquil and detached, and therefore perceives the cosmic process of birth and dissolution affecting all beings.