Shloka 44
Self-Knowledge and the Allegory of the Five Elements & Senses
Karma, Association, and Rebirth
आत्मोवाच । यूयं पंचैव संप्राप्ता मम मैत्रं समिच्छथ । स्वीयं गुणं प्रभावं च कथयंतु ममाग्रतः
ātmovāca | yūyaṃ paṃcaiva saṃprāptā mama maitraṃ samicchatha | svīyaṃ guṇaṃ prabhāvaṃ ca kathayaṃtu mamāgrataḥ
ព្រះអាត្មាបានមានព្រះបន្ទូលថា៖ «អ្នកទាំងប្រាំបានមកដល់ពិតប្រាកដ ដើម្បីប្រាថ្នាមិត្តភាពរបស់យើង។ ចូរប្រាប់នៅមុខយើងអំពីគុណធម៌របស់អ្នក និងអំណាចពិសេសរបស់អ្នក»។
Ātmā (the Self) [as indicated by 'ātmovāca']
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Sandhi Resolution Notes: आत्मोवाच = आत्मा + उवाच (आ + उ → ओ); पंचैव = पंच + एव; ममाग्रतः = मम + अग्रतः (अ + अ → आ).
FAQs
The speaker is Ātmā (“the Self”), explicitly marked by the narration tag “ātmovāca” (“the Self said”).
They are asked to declare, in the speaker’s presence, their own guṇa (virtues/qualities) and prabhāva (distinctive power or efficacy).
The verse highlights discernment in relationships: friendship should be grounded in clearly understood character (guṇa) and proven capability or influence (prabhāva), aligning companionship with dharmic and purposeful qualities.