Shloka 7

Jñāna-plava (The Raft of Knowledge): Svabhāva, Prajñā, and the Ascent to Ātmajñāna

Devanagari script

जैगीषव्य उवाच या गतिर्या परा काष्ठा या शान्ति: पुण्यकर्मणाम्‌ | तां ते5हं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि महतीमृषिसत्तम

Transliteration

jaigiṣavya uvāca | yā gatir yā parā kāṣṭhā yā śāntiḥ puṇyakarmaṇām | tāṃ te 'haṃ sampravakṣyāmi mahatīm ṛṣisattama ||

Translation

Jaigiṣavya said: “O best of sages, I shall now declare to you that exalted wisdom—by taking refuge in which men of meritorious conduct attain the highest course, the utmost summit of spiritual attainment, and supreme peace.”

Word by Word

• {'jaigiṣavya uvāca': 'Jaigiṣavya said', 'yā gatiḥ': 'that course/way

• the destined spiritual path or attainment', 'parā kāṣṭhā': 'the highest limit

• the ultimate summit (of realization/attainment)', 'śāntiḥ': 'peace

• cessation of agitation', 'puṇya-karmaṇām': 'of those whose actions are meritorious/virtuous', 'tām': 'that (teaching/wisdom/goal)', 'te': 'to you', 'aham': 'I', 'sampravakṣyāmi': 'I will fully explain

• I will expound in detail', 'mahatīm': 'great

• exalted', 'ṛṣi-sattama': 'best of sages'}

Speaker

जैगीषव्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Jaigiṣavya
• Ṛṣisattama (addressed sage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse introduces an instruction on the supreme goal—highest spiritual attainment and inner peace—presented as the fruit of meritorious living and as something gained by taking refuge in an exalted teaching or wisdom.

What is happening in the narrative?

Jaigiṣavya begins a formal exposition, addressing a revered sage as ‘best of sages,’ and announces that he will explain the great doctrine that leads virtuous practitioners to the highest state and ultimate peace.