Shloka 18

Brahmā’s Instruction on Brahmacarya, Vānaprastha, and the Aliṅga Path

Ethics of Non-attachment

Devanagari script

अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यो दत्त्वा नैष्कर्म्यमाचरेत्‌ । सर्वभूतसुखो मैत्र: सर्वेन्द्रिययतो मुनि:,(वानप्रस्थकी अवधि पूरी करके) सम्पूर्ण भूतोंको अभय-दान देकर कर्म-त्यागरूप संन्यास-धर्मका पालन करे। सब प्राणियोंके सुखमें सुख माने। सबके साथ मित्रता रखे। समस्त इन्द्रियोंका संयम और मुनि-वृत्तिका पालन करे

Transliteration

abhayaṃ sarvabhūtebhyo dattvā naiṣkarmyam ācaret | sarvabhūtasukho maitraḥ sarvendriyayato muniḥ ||

Translation

Vāyu said: “Having granted fearlessness to all beings, one should live the discipline of renunciation—acting without selfish motive. Let him find his own joy in the welfare of all creatures, remain friendly toward everyone, restrain all the senses, and uphold the conduct of a sage.”

Word by Word

• {'abhayam': 'fearlessness

• security', 'sarvabhūtebhyaḥ': 'to all beings', 'dattvā': 'having given

• bestowing', 'naiṣkarmyam': 'state of non-attachment to action

• actionlessness in the sense of freedom from doership and desire for results', 'ācaret': 'should practice

• should undertake (as a discipline)', 'sarvabhūta-sukhaḥ': 'one whose happiness is in the happiness of all beings

• rejoicing in universal welfare', 'maitraḥ': 'friendly

• possessing maitri (friendliness)', 'sarva-indriya-yataḥ': 'one who has restrained all the senses', 'muniḥ': 'sage

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva (Wind-god)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches an ascetic-ethical ideal: grant safety and non-fear to all beings, practice renunciation as freedom from selfishly motivated action (naiṣkarmya), cultivate universal friendliness (maitrī), take joy in the welfare of all, and restrain the senses as a muni.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is instructing the listener on the proper conduct of a renunciant/forest-dweller moving toward sannyāsa: a life marked by non-harming, benevolence to all creatures, inner discipline, and sage-like restraint.