Shloka 27

Sanatsujāta on the Imperceptible Eternal Light (यत्तच्छुक्रं महज्ज्योतिः)

Devanagari script

जैसे सब ओर जलसे परिपूर्ण बड़े जलाशयके प्राप्त होनेपर जलके लिये अन्यत्र जानेकी आवश्यकता नहीं होती, उसी प्रकार आत्मज्ञानीके लिये सम्पूर्ण वेदोंमें कुछ भी प्राप्त करनेयोग्य शेष नहीं रह जाता ।। अड्गुष्ठमात्र: पुरुषो महात्मा न दृश्यते सौहृदि संनिविष्ट: । अजक्षरो दिवारात्रमतन्।द्रितश्न सतं मत्वा कविरास्ते प्रसन्न:,यह अंगुष्ठमात्र अन्तर्यामी परमात्मा सबके हृदयके भीतर स्थित है, किंतु सबको दिखायी नहीं देता। वह अजन्मा, चराचरस्वरूप और दिन-रात सावधान रहनेवाला है। जो उसे जान लेता है, वह ज्ञानी परमानन्दमें निमग्न हो जाता है

Transliteration

yathā sarvataḥ jalena paripūrṇe mahati jalāśaye prāpte jalārtham anyatra gantum na āvaśyakam, tathā ātmajñāninaḥ sarveṣu vedeṣu kiñcid api prāptavyaṁ śeṣaṁ na tiṣṭhati. aṅguṣṭhamātraḥ puruṣo mahātmā na dṛśyate sauhṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ; ajaḥ akṣaraḥ divārātram atandritaḥ—taṁ santaṁ matvā kaviḥ āste prasannaḥ.

Translation

Just as, on reaching a great reservoir filled with water on every side, one has no need to go elsewhere in search of water, so too for the knower of the Self there remains nothing further to be gained from all the Vedas. The great Self, the Person of the measure of a thumb, abides within the heart, yet is not seen by all. Unborn and imperishable, ever wakeful through day and night, He truly is; knowing Him as the Real, the wise one rests in serene joy.

Word by Word

अङ्गुष्ठमात्रःof thumb-size

पुरुषःperson (inner Self)

महात्माgreat-souled one

नnot

दृश्यतेis seen / appears

सौहृदिin the heart / in friendliness (heart-region)

संनिविष्टःseated/entered, abiding

अजःunborn

अक्षरःimperishable

दिवारात्रम्day and night (constantly)

अतन्द्रितःunwearied, vigilant

सत्यम्as truth / the true (as such)

मत्वाhaving known/considered

कविःsage, seer

आस्तेsits/abides

प्रसन्नःserene, content

Speaker

सनत्सुजात उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanatsujāta

Puruṣa (inner Self/Paramātman)

Vedas

heart (hṛdaya/sauhṛd)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sanatsujāta teaches that once the Self is realized, scriptural learning no longer remains an external ‘means to gain’—like water-seeking ends when one reaches a full reservoir. The supreme inner Person, subtle and heart-abiding, is unborn and imperishable; knowing Him brings settled serenity and freedom from dependence on outer supports.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva, as the Kuru crisis moves toward war, Dhṛtarāṣṭra is instructed by the sage Sanatsujāta. The discourse shifts the king’s attention from anxiety, policy, and mere textual knowledge to the inner ground of dharma—Self-knowledge—present in the heart and capable of granting clarity and peace amid impending conflict.