Shloka 37

Adhyaya 37 — Alarka’s Crisis and the Teaching on Non-Attachment (Madālasa’s Instruction Recalled)

Sanskrit

नाहङ्कारो न च मनो बुद्धिर्नाहं यतस्ततः ।

अन्तःकरणजं दुःखं पारख्यं मम तत्कथम् ॥

Transliteration

nāhaṅkāro na ca mano buddhir nāhaṃ yatas tataḥ | antaḥkaraṇajaṃ duḥkhaṃ pārakhyaṃ mama tat katham ||

Translation

Ich bin nicht das Ego (ahaṃkāra) und nicht der Geist; ich bin nicht der Intellekt (buddhi). Wie könnte dann das Leiden—aus dem inneren Werkzeug (antaḥkaraṇa) hervorgegangen und einem Anderen, dem Nicht-Selbst, zugehörig—mein sein?

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (not)

• अहङ्कारः: ego-sense
• अहङ्कारः: Pratijñā/Predicate (प्रत्यय/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (not)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Pratijñā/Predicate (प्रत्यय/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• बुद्धिः: intellect
• बुद्धिः: Pratijñā/Predicate (प्रत्यय/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (not)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• यतः: from which/therefore
• यतः: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/अपादानार्थक (from which/therefore)

• ततः: therefore
• ततः: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्-अर्थे (therefore/from that)

• अन्तःकरणजम्: born of the inner instrument
• अन्तःकरणजम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तःकरण + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—अन्तःकरण-ज (तत्पुरुष)

• दुःखम्: pain
• दुःखम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• पारक्यम्: belonging to another/alien
• पारक्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पारक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• मम: of me
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative adverb: how?)

Speakers

• Philosophical speaker within the dialogue (Advaitic self-inquiry voice; exact named speaker not provided in the excerpt)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "adbhuta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Antaḥkaraṇa analysis
• Ego-negation
• Non-ownership of suffering
• Liberation through discrimination (viveka)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Suffering is linked to inner mechanisms (egoic appropriation, mental construction). By withdrawing identification, one loosens the root of distress and acts more dharmically.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

A teaching passage (upadeśa) rather than sarga/manvantara/vaṃśa material.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Foreign to me’ marks the Self as asaṅga (unattached). The method is apavāda (sublation): negating superimposed identity layers to reveal the witness.