Shloka 18

Brahmā’s Instruction on Brahmacarya, Vānaprastha, and the Aliṅga Path

Ethics of Non-attachment

Devanagari script

अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यो दत्त्वा नैष्कर्म्यमाचरेत्‌ । सर्वभूतसुखो मैत्र: सर्वेन्द्रिययतो मुनि:,(वानप्रस्थकी अवधि पूरी करके) सम्पूर्ण भूतोंको अभय-दान देकर कर्म-त्यागरूप संन्यास-धर्मका पालन करे। सब प्राणियोंके सुखमें सुख माने। सबके साथ मित्रता रखे। समस्त इन्द्रियोंका संयम और मुनि-वृत्तिका पालन करे

Transliteration

abhayaṃ sarvabhūtebhyo dattvā naiṣkarmyam ācaret | sarvabhūtasukho maitraḥ sarvendriyayato muniḥ ||

Translation

Dijo Vāyu: «Habiendo concedido a todos los seres la ausencia de temor, debe vivir la disciplina de la renuncia—el sannyāsa—obrando sin motivo egoísta. Que halle su dicha en el bienestar de todas las criaturas, sea amistoso con todos, refrene todos los sentidos y sostenga la conducta de un sabio.»

Word by Word

{'abhayam''fearlessness

security', 'sarvabhūtebhyaḥ''to all beings', 'dattvā': 'having given

bestowing', 'naiṣkarmyam''state of non-attachment to action

actionlessness in the sense of freedom from doership and desire for results', 'ācaret''should practice

should undertake (as a discipline)', 'sarvabhūta-sukhaḥ''one whose happiness is in the happiness of all beings

rejoicing in universal welfare', 'maitraḥ''friendly

possessing maitri (friendliness)', 'sarva-indriya-yataḥ''one who has restrained all the senses', 'muniḥ': 'sage

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyudeva (Wind-god)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches an ascetic-ethical ideal: grant safety and non-fear to all beings, practice renunciation as freedom from selfishly motivated action (naiṣkarmya), cultivate universal friendliness (maitrī), take joy in the welfare of all, and restrain the senses as a muni.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is instructing the listener on the proper conduct of a renunciant/forest-dweller moving toward sannyāsa: a life marked by non-harming, benevolence to all creatures, inner discipline, and sage-like restraint.