Shloka 12

Nārada–Vāyu–Śalmali Upākhyāna: Enmity with the Strong and the Primacy of Buddhi (नारद-वायु-शल्मलि उपाख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

ब्रह्ममृत्युरशुद्धात्मा पापमेवानुचिन्तयन्‌ । प्रबुद्धासे प्रस्वपिषि वर्तसे परमे सुखे,'तू ब्राह्मणकी मृत्युका कारण है। तेरा अन्तःकरण नितान्त अशुद्ध है। तू पापकी ही बात सोचता हुआ जागता और सोता है और इसीसे अपनेको परम सुखी मानता है

Transliteration

brahmamṛtyur aśuddhātmā pāpam evānucintayan | prabuddhāse prasvapiṣi vartase parame sukhe ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “You are the cause of a Brahmin’s death. Your inner self is utterly impure. Thinking only of sin, you persist in that mindset both when awake and when asleep—and on that very account you imagine yourself to be supremely happy.”

Word by Word

ब्रह्मBrahman / sacred knowledge (as subject)

मृत्युःdeath

अशुद्धात्माone whose inner self is impure

पापम्sin, evil

एवonly, indeed

अनुचिन्तयन्thinking upon, brooding over

प्रबुद्धःawake, awakened

आसेyou sit / you remain

प्रस्वपिषिyou sleep

वर्तसेyou exist / you behave / you go on

परमेin the highest

सुखेin happiness, in comfort

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma (speaker)

Brahmin (implied victim/class: brāhmaṇa)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes