Shloka 38

Utkramaṇa-sthāna and Ariṣṭa-lakṣaṇa: Yājñavalkya’s Instruction on Departure Pathways and Mortality Signs

Devanagari script

जब यह पुरुष पचीसतवें तत्त्वस्वरूप परमात्मामें स्थित हो जाता है, तब उसकी स्थिति उत्तम बतायी जाती है--वह ठीक बर्ताव करता है, ऐसा माना जाता है। एकत्वका बोध ही ज्ञान है और नानात्वका बोध ही अज्ञान है ।। तत्त्वनिस्तत्त्वयोरेतत्‌ पृथगेव निदर्शनम्‌ । पज्चविंशतिसर्ग तु तत्त्वमाहुर्मनीषिण:,तत्त्व (क्षर और निस्तत्त्व (अक्षर) का यह पृथकृ-पृथक्‌ लक्षण समझना चाहिये। कुछ मनीषी पुरुष पचीस तत्त्वोंको ही तत्त्व कहते हैं; परंतु दूसरे विद्वानोंने चौबीस जड तत्त्वोंको तो तत्त्व कहा है और पचीसवें चेतन परमात्माको निस्तत्त्व (तत्त्वसे भिन्न) बताया है। यह चैतन्य ही परमात्माका लक्षण है। महत्तत््व आदि जो विकार हैं, वे क्षरतत्त्व हैं और परम पुरुष परमात्मा उन “क्षर” तत्त्वोंसे भिन्न उनका सनातन आधार है

Transliteration

tattvanistattvayor etat pṛthag eva nidarśanam | pañcaviṃśatisargaṃ tu tattvam āhur manīṣiṇaḥ ||

Translation

Vasiṣṭha said: “This is the distinct mark by which ‘tattva’ and ‘non-tattva’ are to be understood as separate. Some discerning sages declare the set of twenty-five principles to be ‘tattva’; others call the twenty-four insentient principles ‘tattva’ and regard the twenty-fifth—the conscious Supreme Self—as ‘non-tattva’, i.e., beyond and other than the perishable categories. To know oneness is knowledge; to perceive multiplicity as ultimate is ignorance. When a person abides in that twenty-fifth reality, his state is said to be excellent, and his conduct is deemed truly right.”

Word by Word

तत्त्वreality; principle

निस्तत्त्वयोःof (the) non-tattva and tattva (i.e., of the two: tattva and nistattva)

एतत्this

पृथक्separately; distinctly

एवindeed; only

निदर्शनम्indication; mark; definition

पञ्चविंशतिसर्गम्the group/creation of twenty-five (principles)

तुbut; however

तत्त्वम्as tattva; reality/principle

आहुःthey say; they have declared

मनीषिणःthe wise; sages

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vasiṣṭha

Paramātman (Supreme Self)

Manīṣiṇaḥ (sages/wise thinkers)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse distinguishes between perishable categories (tattvas as analyzable principles) and the transcendent conscious reality. Some count 25 principles as tattva; others treat the 24 insentient evolutes as tattva and the 25th, the Supreme Self, as beyond them. Ethically, true right conduct is grounded in abiding in that highest reality; unity (ekatva) is knowledge, while taking multiplicity as ultimate is ignorance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instructional discourse, Vasiṣṭha is teaching a listener about metaphysical discernment and its moral consequence: recognizing the Supreme Self as distinct from changing constituents leads to an ‘excellent state’ and proper conduct.