Shloka 4

Śarīrin, Buddhi, and the Limits of Sense-Perception (इन्द्रियबुद्धिशरीरिविचारः)

Devanagari script

निर्दन्द्धा नित्यसत्त्वस्था विमुक्ता नियमस्थिता: । असड्ान्यविवादीनि मन:शान्तिकराणि च

Transliteration

nirdvandvā nityasattvasthā vimuktā niyamasthitāḥ | asaṅgāny avivādīni manaḥśāntikarāṇi ca ||

Translation

ध्यानयोगाचे साधक शीत-उष्ण इत्यादी द्वंद्वांपासून मुक्त, नित्य सत्त्वगुणात स्थित, दोषरहित आणि शौच-संतोषादि नियमांत दृढ असावेत. त्यांनी असे स्थान निवडावे जे असंग, विवादरहित आणि मनःशांती देणारे असेल.

Word by Word

• निर्द्वन्द्वाः: free from pairs of opposites
• निर्द्वन्द्वाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्द्वन्द्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नित्यसत्त्वस्थाः: always established in sattva
• नित्यसत्त्वस्थाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्यसत्त्वस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विमुक्ताः: liberated; freed
• विमुक्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-मुच् (धातु) → विमुक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नियमस्थिताḥ: abiding in observances (niyamas)
• नियमस्थिताḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियमस्थित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• असङ्गानि: detached; without association
• असङ्गानि: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• अविवादीनि: non-contentious; free from dispute
• अविवादीनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविवादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• मनःशान्तिकराणि: bringing peace to the mind
• मनःशान्तिकराणि: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनःशान्तिकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

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

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• meditation-yoga practitioners (dhyānayoga-sādhaka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A meditator should cultivate inner steadiness—freedom from dualities, a sattvic disposition, and disciplined observances—and should choose a quiet, non-attaching, non-contentious environment that naturally calms the mind.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising on spiritual practice, describing the qualities and conditions suitable for those pursuing meditation-yoga.