Shloka 21

ऋभु-निदाघ-संवादः — अधः-ऊर्ध्व-दृष्टान्तेन अद्वैतबोधः (राजा-गज-उपमा) तथा मोक्षफलश्रुति

Devanagari script

तथा त्वम् अपि धर्मज्ञ तुल्यात्मरिपुबान्धवः भव सर्वगतं जानन्न् आत्मानम् अवनीपते

Transliteration

tathā tvam api dharmajña tulyātmaripubāndhavaḥ bhava sarvagataṃ jānann ātmānam avanīpate

Translation

O knower of dharma, O lord of the earth: be even-minded toward foe and friend; knowing the Self to be all-pervading, abide firmly in that understanding.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• तथा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb): ‘तथैव/एवम्’

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle): समुच्चय/अपि = ‘also/even’

• धर्मज्ञ: O knower of dharma
• धर्मज्ञ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma + jña (प्रातिपदिक; ‘ज्ञ’ प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: धर्मं जानाति इति धर्मज्ञः

• तुल्यात्मरिपुबान्धवः: equal-minded toward self, enemies, and friends
• तुल्यात्मरिपुबान्धवः: Karta-anvayi Visheshana (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tulya + ātman + ripu + bāndhava (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष): आत्मा-रिपु-बान्धवेषु तुल्यः (समदर्शी)

• भव: be (become)
• भव: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वगतं: all-pervading
• सर्वगतं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva + gata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘गम्’ धातोः क्त (past participle) = गत; सर्वत्र गतः = सर्वगतः

• जानन्: knowing
• जानन्: Karta-sahakari (Concomitant participle/कर्तृसहकारी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘knowing’

• आत्मानम्: the Self
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अवनीपते: O lord of the earth (king)
• अवनीपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avanī + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: अवन्याः पतिः

Speaker

A senior preceptor/wise counselor addressing a king (as narrated within Parāśara’s discourse to Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Maintain equal-mindedness toward friend and foe by knowing the all-pervading Self and abiding in that realization.

Vedantic Theme: Atman

Application: Practice impartiality in praise/blame and daily decisions while anchoring attention in the witnessing Self.

Vishishtadvaita: The all-pervading Self is to be known as the indwelling controller (antaryāmin), grounding ethical equanimity in divine immanence.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• King (Avanīpati)
• Self (Ātman)

FAQs

What is the significance of equanimity toward friend and enemy in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames royal dharma as inner steadiness: a king should not be driven by attachment or hatred, but rule with balanced judgment rooted in spiritual insight.

How does Parāśara’s teaching emphasize self-knowledge in governance?

By presenting the Self as all-pervading, the instruction makes self-knowledge the foundation for impartial action—turning kingship into a disciplined practice of dharma rather than personal preference.

What is the theological importance of the all-pervading Self in this context?

The all-pervading reality points to the supreme ground upheld in Vaiṣṇava thought—seeing the Self’s pervasion supports non-partisan conduct and aligns the ruler with cosmic order sustained by the Supreme.