Shloka 195

Devanagari script

तस्मात्‌ सर्वास्ववस्थासु रक्षेज्जीवितमात्मन:

Transliteration

tasmāt sarvāsv avasthāsu rakṣej jīvitam ātmanaḥ

Translation

Therefore, in every circumstance, one should safeguard one’s own life.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that (reason)
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• सर्वासु: in all
• सर्वासु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• अवस्थासु: conditions/states/situations
• अवस्थासु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवस्था
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• रक्षेत्: should protect
• रक्षेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• जीवितम्: life
• जीवितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आत्मनः: of oneself/one's own
• आत्मनः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

लोमश उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Lomaśa
• ātman (self)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should protect one’s life in all situations, because life is the foundation that enables the pursuit of dharma and the performance of duties; without life, ethical aims cannot be carried out.

What is happening in the narrative?

Lomaśa is giving counsel in the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, offering a practical maxim: regardless of changing circumstances, preserving life is a primary concern that supports later righteous action.