Shloka 51

यत्र ज्ञानवतां प्राप्तिरलिड्रग्रहणा स्मृता । तस्मादलिड्जधर्मज्ञो धर्मतत्त्वमुपाचरेत्‌,उस आत्मतत्त्वतक बुद्धि, इन्द्रिय और देवताओंकी भी पहुँच नहीं होती। जहाँ केवल ज्ञानवान्‌ महात्माओंकी ही गति है, वहाँ वेद, यज्ञ, लोक, तप और व्रतका भी प्रवेश नहीं होता; क्योंकि वह बाह्य चिह्लसे रहित मानी गयी है। इसलिये बाह्य चिह्नोंसे रहित धर्मको जानकर उसका यथार्थरूपसे पालन करना चाहिये

vāyudeva uvāca | yatra jñānavatāṁ prāptir aliṅgrahaṇā smṛtā | tasmād aliṅgadharmajño dharmatattvam upācaret ||

Vāyudeva bersabda: “Keadaan yang dicapai oleh orang bijaksana diingati sebagai ‘tanpa tanda-tanda lahiriah’. Maka, sesiapa yang memahami dharma yang bebas daripada tanda luar hendaklah mengamalkan inti dharma yang sebenar.” Ajaran ini melampaui ritual dan lambang kesalehan yang kelihatan, menyeru kepada pencarian dharma yang batiniah, berasaskan pengetahuan dan penyedaran.

यत्रwhere
यत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयत्र
ज्ञानवताम्of the wise/knowers
ज्ञानवताम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootज्ञानवत्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
प्राप्तिःattainment; reach
प्राप्तिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootप्राप्ति
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
अलिङ्गग्रहणाdevoid of external marks/signs (lit. not taking/accepting marks)
अलिङ्गग्रहणा:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअलिङ्गग्रहणा
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
स्मृताis said/remembered (as)
स्मृता:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootस्मृ
FormPerfect passive participle, Singular, Feminine, Nominative
तस्मात्therefore; from that
तस्मात्:
Apadana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतस्मात् (तद्)
अलिङ्गःwithout external marks/signs
अलिङ्गः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअलिङ्ग
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
धर्मज्ञःknower of dharma
धर्मज्ञः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootधर्मज्ञ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
धर्मतत्त्वम्the true principle/essence of dharma
धर्मतत्त्वम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootधर्मतत्त्व
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
उपाचरेत्should practice/observe
उपाचरेत्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootउप-चर्
FormOptative, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

वायुदेव उवाच

V
Vāyudeva

Educational Q&A

True dharma is not defined by external signs, rituals, or public markers; it is an inward reality realized by the wise. One should therefore cultivate dharma at the level of its essence (tattva)—through knowledge, discernment, and inner transformation rather than mere outward observance.

Vāyudeva is instructing the listener about a highest spiritual attainment described as ‘without outward marks.’ He emphasizes that only the truly wise reach it, and he exhorts the practitioner to follow dharma in its markless, essential form rather than relying on external identifiers of religiosity.