Shloka 10

Adhyāya 199: Karma–Jñāna Causality and the Nirguṇa Brahman

Manu’s Instruction

Devanagari script

दिष्ट्या देवि प्रसन्ना त्वं दर्शनं चागता मम । यदि चापि प्रसन्नासि जप्ये मे रमतां मन:

Transliteration

dṛṣṭyā devi prasannā tvaṁ darśanaṁ cāgatā mama | yadi cāpi prasannāsi japye me ramatāṁ manaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “By good fortune, O Goddess, you are pleased and have come to grant me your vision. If you are truly satisfied with me, then bestow this grace: let my mind take delight in japa—steadfastly absorbed in sacred repetition.”

Word by Word

• दिष्ट्या: fortunately; by good luck
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिष्टि
• Form: Avyaya (instrumental sense: 'by good fortune')

• देवि: O goddess
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• प्रसन्ना: pleased; gracious
• प्रसन्ना: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• दर्शनम्: sight; दर्शन (appearance/vision)
• दर्शनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya

• आगता: having come; come
• आगता: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम्
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• मम: of me; my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि
• Form: Avyaya

• च: and; even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya

• अपि: also; even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि
• Form: Avyaya

• प्रसन्ना: pleased; satisfied
• प्रसन्ना: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• असि: you are
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present, 2nd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• जप्ये: in japa; in what is to be recited
• जप्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जप्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• मे: my; of me
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular (enclitic)

• रमताम्: let it delight; let it take pleasure
• Type: Verb
• Root: रम्
• Form: Imperative, 3rd person, Singular, Atmanepada

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Devī (Goddess)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True divine favor is sought not for worldly gain but for inner steadiness: Bhīṣma asks that his mind remain joyfully fixed in japa, highlighting disciplined devotion as an ethical-spiritual ideal.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses a Goddess who has appeared to him. He expresses gratitude for her gracious darśana and petitions for a specific boon—continuous absorption of the mind in sacred repetition.