Verse 16

Amritbindu

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

शब्दाक्षरं परं ब्रह्म तस्मिन्क्षीणे यदक्षरम् । तद्विद्वानक्षरं ध्यायेद्यदीच्छेच्छान्तिमात्मनः ॥१६॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

शब्द-अक्षरम् । परम् । ब्रह्म । तस्मिन् । क्षीणे । यत् । अक्षरम् । तत् । विद्वान् । अक्षरम् । ध्यायेत् । यदि । इच्छेत् । शान्तिम् । आत्मनः ॥

IAST Transliteration

śabdākṣaraṃ paraṃ brahma tasmin kṣīṇe yad akṣaram | tad vidvān akṣaraṃ dhyāyed yadīcchec chāntim ātmanaḥ ||16||

Translation

ಶಬ್ದರೂಪ ಅಕ್ಷರವೇ ಪರಬ್ರಹ್ಮ; ಆ ಶಬ್ದ-ಅಕ್ಷರ ಕ್ಷೀಣವಾದಾಗ ಉಳಿಯುವುದು ಅವಿನಾಶಿ ಅಕ್ಷರ. ಇದನ್ನು ತಿಳಿದು ಆತ್ಮಶಾಂತಿ ಬಯಸುವವನು ಅಕ್ಷರವನ್ನು ಧ್ಯಾನಿಸಲಿ॥16॥

Academic Translation

The supreme Brahman is the syllable (akṣara) that is sound; when that (sound-syllable) is exhausted, what remains is the imperishable (akṣara). Knowing that, one should meditate on the imperishable, if one desires peace for oneself.

Verse Context

• Brahman as Akṣara (the Imperishable) beyond śabda (sound)
• Mahavakya: Supports the intent of ‘ayam ātmā brahma’ by directing attention from the audible symbol (praṇava/śabda) to the non-dual imperishable Reality; not a direct mahāvākya citation.
• Atharva
• Atharva-veda (traditionally associated with the Atharvaṇic corpus; specific śākhā not securely attested) Shakha
• Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (śloka)