Shloka 21

अव्यक्त–पुरुष–विवेकः (Discrimination of Avyakta/Prakṛti and Puruṣa) — Yājñavalkya’s Anvīkṣikī to Viśvāvasu

Devanagari script

ये पश्यन्ति महात्मानो धृतिमन्तो मनीषिण: । ब्राह्मणा ब्रह्म॒योनिस्था ह्योनिममृतात्मकम्‌,धैर्यवान्‌, मनीषी, ब्रह्मबोधक शास्त्रोंमें निष्ठा रखनेवाले और महात्मा ब्राह्मण ही उस अजन्मा एवं अमृतस्वरूप ब्रह्मका दर्शन कर पाते हैं

Transliteration

ye paśyanti mahātmāno dhṛtimanto manīṣiṇaḥ | brāhmaṇā brahmayonisthā hyonim amṛtātmakam ||

Translation

Vasiṣṭha sprach: Nur jene großherzigen Brāhmaṇas—standhaft in Tapferkeit, begabt mit unterscheidender Einsicht und fest gegründet in einer aus Brahman hervorgegangenen (auf Brahman zentrierten) Lebensweise—vermögen jene Quelle zu schauen, ungeboren und von unsterblicher Natur.

Word by Word

येwho (those who)

पश्यन्तिsee

महात्मानःgreat-souled ones

धृतिमन्तःsteadfast, possessing fortitude

मनीषिणःwise ones, sages

ब्राह्मणाःBrahmins

ब्रह्मयोनिस्थाःabiding in the source (yoni) of Brahman / established in Brahman-origin

हिindeed, for

योनिम्source, womb, origin

अमृतात्मकम्of immortal nature, whose essence is immortality

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vasiṣṭha

Brāhmaṇas

Brahman

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?

Direct realization of the unborn, immortal Brahman is not presented as a mere intellectual conclusion; it is accessible to those who combine steadfast inner discipline (dhṛti), reflective wisdom (manīṣā), and a life anchored in Brahman-centered learning and practice (brahma-yonisthā).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction-oriented setting, Vasiṣṭha is teaching about the qualifications and inner disposition required for spiritual vision: the ‘seeing’ of the immortal source is attributed to great-souled, disciplined, wise Brāhmaṇas devoted to Brahman.