Shloka 36

योग–सांख्यसमन्वयः, रथोपमा, व्यक्त–अव्यक्तविवेकः

Yoga–Sāṃkhya Synthesis, Chariot Allegory, and the Vyakta–Avyakta Distinction

Devanagari script

नित्य॑ पर्वसु सुस्नाता: स्वनुलिप्ता: स्वलंकृता: । उपवासतप:शीला: प्रतीता ब्रह्मवादिन:

Transliteration

nityaṁ parvasu susnātāḥ svanuliptāḥ sv-alaṅkṛtāḥ | upavāsa-tapaḥ-śīlāḥ pratītā brahmavādinaḥ ||

Translation

Śakra dijo: «En toda ocasión sagrada se bañan con esmero, se ungen con perfumes y se adornan como es debido. Son devotos del ayuno y de la austeridad, firmes en la disciplina, y son reconocidos como expositores de Brahman (la verdadera sabiduría espiritual)».

Word by Word

नित्यंalways, regularly

पर्वसुon festival/holy days

सुस्नाताःwell-bathed

स्वनुलिप्ताःsmeared/anointed with their own (unguents)

स्वलङ्कृताःadorned with their own ornaments

उपवासतपःशीलाःhaving the habit of fasting and austerity

प्रतीताःcontented, satisfied

ब्रह्मवादिनःexpounders of Brahman/Veda; brahminical speakers

Speaker

शक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śakra (Indra)

Brahman

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True religious life is marked by disciplined conduct: purity and order in observances, restraint through fasting and austerity, and commitment to higher knowledge—being recognized as one who speaks and lives by Brahman (spiritual truth).

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra (Śakra) describes a group of exemplary practitioners, characterizing their regular sacred observances, personal cleanliness and adornment, ascetic practices like fasting, and their reputation as teachers of spiritual truth.