Shloka 1

Sāttvika-vṛtta-kathana (Brahmā on the Conduct of Sattva) — Chapter 38

Devanagari script

अफ-्#-रात अष्टात्रिशो5 ध्याय: सत्त्वगुणके कार्यका वर्णन और उसके जाननेका फल ब्रह्मोवाच अतः: पर प्रवक्ष्यामि तृतीयं गुणमुत्तमम्‌ । सर्वभूतहितं लोके सतां धर्ममनिन्दितम्‌

Transliteration

brahmovāca | ataḥ paraṃ pravakṣyāmi tṛtīyaṃ guṇam uttamam | sarvabhūtahitaṃ loke satāṃ dharmam aninditam ||

Translation

Brahmā dit : «À présent, je vais encore exposer la troisième et la plus haute qualité : sattva. C’est une manière de vivre louée par les gens de bien, irréprochable dans la conduite, et bénéfique à tous les êtres du monde.»

Word by Word

• अतः: therefore/now then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः

• परम्: the next/further (topic)
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall declare
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तृतीयम्: the third
• तृतीयम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• गुणम्: quality/guṇa
• गुणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उत्तमम्: excellent/supreme
• उत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सर्वभूतहितम्: beneficial to all beings
• सर्वभूतहितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-भूत-हित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• सताम्: of the good/virtuous
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• धर्मम्: dharma/duty
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अनिन्दितम्: blameless/unreproached
• अनिन्दितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनिन्दित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse introduces sattva-guṇa as the highest mode, defined ethically as a blameless dharma that promotes the welfare of all beings and is endorsed by the virtuous.

What is happening in the narrative?

Brahmā begins a new section of instruction, announcing that he will now describe the third guṇa—sattva—and its character as universally beneficial and morally irreproachable.