Shloka 22

अन्तर्वन-विद्यारण्योपमा

The Allegory of the Inner Forest of Knowledge

Devanagari script

कृशाशा: सुव्रताशाश्च॒ तपसा दग्धकिल्बिषा: । आत्मन्यात्मानमाविश्य ब्रह्माणं समुपासते

Transliteration

kṛśāśāḥ suvratāśāś ca tapasa dagdhakilbiṣāḥ | ātmany ātmānam āviśya brahmāṇaṃ samupāsate ||

Translation

ലൗകികാശകൾ ക്ഷീണിച്ചവരും, ഉത്തമവ്രതങ്ങൾ അനുഷ്ഠിക്കുവാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവരും, തപസ്സാൽ പാപങ്ങൾ ദഗ്ധമായവരുമായ അത്തരം പുരുഷന്മാർ മനസ്സിനെ അന്തർമുഖമാക്കി, ആത്മാവിനെ ആത്മാവിൽ തന്നെ സ്ഥാപിച്ച്, പരബ്രഹ്മത്തെ ഉപാസിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• कृशाशाः: having feeble hopes/desires
• कृशाशाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृश-आशा
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सुव्रताशाः: desiring good vows/observances
• सुव्रताशाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-व्रत-आशा
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• दग्धकिल्बिषाः: whose sins are burnt (away)
• दग्धकिल्बिषाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दग्ध-किल्बिष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• आत्मनि: in the Self
• आत्मनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• आत्मानम्: the self (as object)
• आत्मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आविश्य: having entered/absorbed (oneself)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-विश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahman (the Absolute)
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• समुपासते: they worship/meditate upon
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उप-आस्
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Plural, Atmanepada

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Brahman (ब्रह्म)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True worship of Brahman is grounded in ethical purification and inner discipline: when desires and external expectations fade, one embraces noble vows, purifies wrongdoing through tapas, and then turns inward—fixing the mind in the self—to contemplate the Supreme Reality.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brahmin speaker describes the qualities of genuine spiritual aspirants. Rather than praising ritual or worldly success, he highlights renunciation of hopes, commitment to virtuous vows, purification through austerity, and inward meditation culminating in worship of Brahman.