Shloka 16

कालनियमः शोकशमनं च

Kāla as Regulator; Pacification of Grief

Devanagari script

विनीतमानमोहश्च बहुसड्भविवर्जित: । तदा55त्मज्योतिष: साधोर्निवाणमुपपद्यते

Transliteration

vinīta-māna-mohaś ca bahu-saṅga-vivarjitaḥ | tadā ātma-jyotiṣaḥ sādhōr nirvāṇam upapadyate ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Quand un homme saint devient humble, que l’orgueil et l’illusion sont ôtés, qu’il est libre des multiples attachements et établi dans la lumière intérieure du Soi, alors la délivrance (nirvāṇa) vient à lui.

Word by Word

• विनीत: subdued, disciplined
• विनीत: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-नी (धातु) → विनीत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मान: pride, self-esteem
• मान: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मोहः: delusion
• मोहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• बहु: many
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• सद्भाव: attachments/conditions of being; states (here: worldly clinging)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सद्भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• विवर्जितः: devoid of, free from
• विवर्जितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-वर्ज् (धातु) → विवर्जित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• आत्म: of the self
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• ज्योतिषः: of the light (illumination/knowledge)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• साधोः: of the sage/holy man
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• निर्वाणम्: liberation, nirvana
• निर्वाणम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• उपपद्यते: arises/ensues; is attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-√पद् (धातु) (आत्मनेपद)
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• sādhu (holy person)
• ātman (Self)
• nirvāṇa (liberation)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Liberation arises from inner purification: humility and discipline (vinīta), the removal of pride (māna) and delusion (moha), freedom from binding attachments (saṅga), and steady establishment in Self-knowledge (ātma-jyotis).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana continues the Śānti-parvan’s instruction on peace and liberation by summarizing the qualities of a realized person: one who has abandoned ego and confusion, is unattached, and abides in the Self’s light—thereby attaining nirvāṇa.