Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

निर्ममो निरहड़कारो निराशी: सर्वतः सम: । अकामभूत इत्येव सतां धर्म: सनातन:,ममता, अहंकार और आशासे रहित होकर सर्वत्र समदृष्टि रखना और सर्वथा निष्काम हो जाना ही श्रेष्ठ पुरुषोंका सनातन धर्म है

Transliteration

nirmamo nirahaṅkāro nirāśī sarvataḥ samaḥ | akāma-bhūta ity eva satāṁ dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ ||

Translation

Vāyu-deva said: “To be free from possessiveness, free from egoism, and free from craving; to maintain equal vision toward all in every circumstance; and to become wholly without selfish desire—this alone is declared to be the eternal dharma of the noble.”

Word by Word

निर्ममःfree from possessiveness

निरहङ्कारःfree from egoism

निराशीःfree from expectation/desire

सर्वतःeverywhere; in all respects

समःequal-minded; even

अकामभूतःhaving become desireless

इतिthus

एवindeed; only

सताम्of the good/virtuous (people)

धर्मःdharma; duty; righteous conduct

सनातनःeternal; perennial

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyu-deva

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse defines the ‘eternal dharma of the noble’ as inner renunciation: giving up possessiveness (mamatā), egoism (ahaṅkāra), and expectation (āśā), cultivating equal vision in all circumstances, and becoming free from selfish desire.

What is happening in the narrative?

In this passage, Vāyu-deva speaks as a moral instructor, summarizing the hallmark qualities of a truly virtuous person—detachment, humility, and equanimity—rather than describing an external event of war or ritual.