Shloka 23
धर्मद्वारबहुत्वविमर्शः — Reflection on the Many ‘Doors’ of Dharma (Śānti-parva 342)
Devanagari script
अहमात्मा हि लोकानां विश्वेषां पाण्डुनन्दन
Transliteration
aham ātmā hi lokānāṁ viśveṣāṁ pāṇḍunandana
Translation
O son of Pāṇḍu, I am indeed the very Self of all beings in all the worlds.
Word by Word
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद्
Form—, प्रथमा, एकवचन
आत्माself, soul
आत्मा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन्
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
हिindeed, for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
लोकानाम्of the worlds / of beings
लोकानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootलोक
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन
विश्वेषाम्of all
विश्वेषाम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootविश्व
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन
पाण्डुनन्दनO son of Pandu
पाण्डुनन्दन:
TypeNoun
Rootपाण्डु-नन्दन
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन
Speaker
अर्जुन उवाच
Characters & Entities
P
PāṇḍuP
Pāṇḍunandana (Arjuna, by epithet)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Cross References
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts a universal, indwelling Self (ātmā) present in all worlds and beings, grounding ethics in spiritual unity: recognizing the same Self everywhere supports compassion, restraint, and impartial dharma.
In the didactic setting of Śānti Parva, a speaker addresses “Pāṇḍunandana” (Arjuna by epithet) and proclaims an identity with the universal Self, shifting the focus from personal agency to a cosmic, all-pervading spiritual principle.