Shloka 4

Ātma-saṃyama-dharma: One-pointedness of Mind and Senses (शुक–व्यास संवादः)

Devanagari script

लोक वृत्तान्ततत्त्वज्ञ: पूतो5हं गुरुशासनात्‌ । कृत्वा बुद्धि विमुक्तात्मा द्रक्ष्याम्पात्मानमव्ययम्‌

Transliteration

loka-vṛttānta-tattvajñaḥ pūto 'haṃ guru-śāsanāt | kṛtvā buddhiṃ vimuktātmā drakṣyāmy ātmānam avyayam ||

Translation

By the instruction of my teacher I have been purified, and I have also understood the true principles behind worldly conduct and social practice. Therefore, refining my intellect through righteous discipline and casting off identification with the gross body, I shall behold my own imperishable Self.

Word by Word

• लोकवृत्तान्ततत्त्वज्ञः: knower of the true nature of worldly affairs
• लोकवृत्तान्ततत्त्वज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोक-वृत्तान्त-तत्त्व-ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पूतः: purified
• पूतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पू (धातु) → पूत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गुरुशासनात्: from the teacher's instruction/command
• गुरुशासनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु-शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• कृत्वा: having done / after doing
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत्वा (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
• Form: Gerund (ktvā)

• बुद्धिविमुक्तात्मा: one whose self is freed (through/with) intellect
• बुद्धिविमुक्तात्मा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुद्धि-विमुक्त-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्रक्ष्यामि: I shall see
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: Future (Luṭ), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• आत्मानम्: the Self
• आत्मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अव्ययम्: imperishable
• अव्ययम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

शुक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śuka
• guru (teacher)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True purification arises from the guru’s instruction and is completed by dharmic discipline that refines the intellect; with detachment from bodily identification, one realizes the imperishable Self.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śuka declares the result of his teacher’s guidance: he has gained insight into worldly norms and their underlying principles, and now resolves to cultivate purified understanding and, freed from attachment to the gross body, directly realize the eternal Self.