Shloka 32

अध्याय १६ — शङ्कर-उमा-वरदानम् तथा तण्डि-स्तुतिः (Śaṅkara–Umā Boon-Granting and Taṇḍi’s Hymn)

Devanagari script

अध्यात्मगतिरिष्टानां ध्यायिनामात्मवेदिनाम्‌ | अपुनर्भवकामानां या गति: सोडयमी श्वरः,ध्यान करनेवाले प्रियभक्तोंकी जो अध्यात्मगति हैं तथा पुनर्जन्मकी इच्छा न रखनेवाले आत्मज्ञानी पुरुषोंकी जो गति बतायी गयी है, वह ये ईश्वर ही हैं

Transliteration

adhyātma-gatir iṣṭānāṁ dhyāyinām ātma-vedinām | apunarbhava-kāmānāṁ yā gatiḥ so 'yam īśvaraḥ ||

Translation

Vāyudeva said: The spiritual destination taught for beloved devotees who meditate, and for self-knowing sages who seek freedom from rebirth—this very Lord is that goal. In other words, the highest end of disciplined contemplation and the ethical longing for liberation is not merely a place or state, but direct attainment of the Supreme.

Word by Word

अध्यात्मगतिःthe spiritual (adhyātma) course/goal

इष्टानाम्of the dear/cherished (devotees)

ध्यायिनाम्of the meditators

आत्मवेदिनाम्of the knowers of the Self

अपुनर्भवकामानाम्of those desiring non-return (no rebirth)

याwhich

गतिःthe goal/attainment

सःthat (he/that)

उदयमीश्वरःthe Lord as the (supreme) goal/culmination

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyudeva

Īśvara (the Lord)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse identifies the ultimate spiritual goal of both devoted meditators and self-knowing seekers of liberation as the Lord Himself—implying that the highest end of practice is direct realization/attainment of Īśvara, beyond rebirth.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Vāyudeva is speaking and clarifying doctrine: he equates the ‘spiritual destination’ described for advanced devotees and liberated aspirants with the very presence and reality of the Supreme Lord.