Shloka 20

Śāṇḍilī–Suparṇa Saṃvāda

Conduct, Intention, and Restoration

Devanagari script

नातिप्रज्ञोडसि विप्रर्षे यो55त्मान॑ त्यक्तुमिच्छसि । न चापि कृत्रिम: काल: कालो हि परमेश्वर:,“ब्रह्मर्ष! यदि तुम अपने प्राणोंका परित्याग करना चाहते हो तो विशेष बुद्धिमान्‌ नहीं हो; क्योंकि मृत्यु कृत्रिम नहीं होती (उसका अपनी इच्छासे निर्माण नहीं किया जा सकता)। वह तो परमेश्वरका ही स्वरूप है

Transliteration

n1tiprajo 'si viprare yo 'tm1na tyaktum icchasi | na c1pi ktrima k1laa k1lo hi paramebvaraa ||

Translation

Narada said: “O brahmarṣi, you are not truly wise if you wish to abandon your own life. Death is not something artificial that can be manufactured by personal will; Time itself is the Supreme Lord.”

Word by Word

• {'na': 'not', 'atipraj\x1fa\x1fa': 'exceedingly wise, very discerning', 'asi': 'you are', 'viprar\x1fe': 'O seer among br\x101hma\x1eas

• O brahmar\x1e\x1fi', 'ya\x1fa': 'who', '\x101tm\x101nam': 'oneself

• one\x1fs own life/self', 'tyaktum': 'to abandon, to give up (here: to give up life)', 'icchasi': 'you desire, you wish', 'na ca api': 'and also not

• nor indeed', 'k\x1btrima\x1fa': 'artificial, fabricated, contrived', 'k\x101la\x1fa': 'death/time

• the power of Time', 'k\x101la\x1fa hi': 'for Time indeed', 'parame\x15bvara\x1fa': 'the Supreme Lord

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• N1rada
• K1la (Time/Death)
• Paramebvara (Supreme Lord)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should not attempt to end life by personal contrivance; death is governed by K1la, identified here with Paramebvara. Wisdom lies in aligning ones conduct with dharma and accepting the divine order rather than forcing an escape from suffering.

What is happening in the narrative?

N1rada addresses a brahmari who wishes to give up his life. He rebukes the intention as lacking true discernment and teaches that death is not a humanly manufactured act but the operation of Time, which is supreme.