Shloka 16

सूक्ष्मभूत-भूतात्मविज्ञानम्

Knowing the subtle principle and the bhūtātman through yoga

Devanagari script

अनभ्याहतचित्त: स्यादनभ्याहतवाग भवेत्‌ । निर्मुक्तः सर्वपापेभ्यो निरमित्रस्थ कि भयम्‌,संन्यासी अपने चित्तको राग-द्वेष आदि दोषोंसे दूषित न होने दे। अपनी वाणीको निन्दा आदि दोषोंसे बचावे और सम्पूर्ण पापोंसे मुक्त होकर सर्वथा शत्रुहीन हो जाय। जिसे ऐसी स्थिति प्राप्त हो उसे किसीसे क्या भय हो सकता है?

Transliteration

anabhyāhatacittaḥ syād anabhyāhatavāg bhavet | nirmuktaḥ sarvapāpebhyo niramitra-sthaḥ kiṁ bhayam ||

Translation

Vyāsa said: “Let a renunciant keep his mind unstruck—unwounded by passion, aversion, and the like—and let his speech remain untainted, not falling into blame or harmful talk. Freed from every sin, standing as one without enemies, what fear could there be for him?”

Word by Word

अनभ्याहतचित्तःone whose mind is uninjured/undisturbed

स्यात्should be / may be

अनभ्याहतवाक्one whose speech is uninjured/undefiled

भवेत्should become / should be

निर्मुक्तःfreed, released

सर्वपापेभ्यःfrom all sins

निरमित्रःhaving no enemies

स्थःstanding/abiding (being in a state)

किम्what?

भयम्fear

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A true renunciant protects the mind from disturbance (rāga-dveṣa and similar afflictions) and protects speech from faults (such as blame, slander, harshness). When one is purified of sin and no longer creates enmity, fear has no foothold.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on peace and right conduct, Vyāsa delivers a concise ethical guideline for the saṁnyāsin: inner non-disturbance, disciplined speech, and complete moral purification culminating in fearlessness.