Shloka 4

अध्याय २८६ — पराशर-उपदेशः

Ethical Restraint, Mortality, and Karma

Devanagari script

उद्वेगं न हि ते किंचित्‌ सुसूक्ष्ममपि लक्षये । नित्यतृप्त इव स्वस्थो बालवच्च विचेष्टसे,मैं आपके चित्तमें कभी कोई थोड़ा-सा भी उद्वेग नहीं देख पाता हूँ। आप नित्य तृप्तकी भाँति अपने-आपमें ही स्थित रहकर बालकोंके समान चेष्टा करते हैं (इसका क्या कारण है?)

Transliteration

udvegaṁ na hi te kiṁcit susūkṣmam api lakṣaye | nityatṛpta iva svastho bālavat ca viceṣṭase ||

Translation

Nārada berkata: “Aku tidak melihat padamu sedikit pun kegelisahan, bahkan yang paling halus. Engkau tampak teguh dan tenteram, seakan selalu puas, dan engkau bergerak dengan kepolosan spontan seperti seorang anak. Apa sebabnya?”

Word by Word

उद्वेगम्agitation, disturbance

नnot

हिindeed, for

तेof you, your

किञ्चित्anything, even a little

सुसूक्ष्मम्very subtle, extremely slight

अपिeven, also

लक्षयेI perceive, I notice

नित्यतृप्तःever-content, always satisfied

इवas if, like

स्वस्थःself-possessed, at ease

बालवत्like a child

चand

विचेष्टसेyou act, you behave/move about

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ideal of inner steadiness: a person free from even subtle agitation (udvega), established in oneself (svastha), and naturally content (nityatṛpta). Such composure can coexist with outward simplicity and spontaneity, symbolized by ‘like a child’ (bālavat).

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada addresses a person whose demeanor shows no trace of anxiety. Observing their calm, self-contained contentment and childlike manner of acting, he asks what inner cause or realization produces such unshaken tranquility.