Shloka 10

Adhyāya 26 — Ekākṣara-Brahman (“Om”) and the Hṛdayastha Guru

Inner Teacher

Devanagari script

असुराणां प्रवृत्तस्तु दम्भभाव: स्वभावज: । दानं॑ देवा व्यवसिता दममेव महर्षय:

Transliteration

asurāṇāṁ pravṛttas tu dambhabhāvaḥ svabhāvajāḥ | dānaṁ devā vyavasitā damam eva maharṣayaḥ ||

Translation

ଅସୁରମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ସ୍ୱଭାବଜ ଦମ୍ଭଭାବ ପ୍ରବଳ ହେଲା; ଦେବମାନେ ଦାନକୁ ନିଜ ପଥ ଭାବେ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ କଲେ, ମହର୍ଷିମାନେ ଦମ—ଆତ୍ମସଂଯମ—କୁ ହିଁ ଗ୍ରହଣ କଲେ। ଏଭଳି ଏକେଇ ଉପଦେଶରୁ ଭିନ୍ନ ସ୍ୱଭାବ ଭିନ୍ନ ଧର୍ମରୂପେ ପ୍ରକାଶ ପାଇଲା।

Word by Word

• असुराणाम्: of the Asuras
• असुराणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• प्रवृत्तः: arisen/manifested
• प्रवृत्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवृत्त (प्र+वृत्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• दम्भभावः: the state of arrogance/ostentation
• दम्भभावः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम्भभाव (दम्भ + भाव)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वभावजः: born of (their) nature; natural
• स्वभावजः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वभावज (स्वभाव + ज)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दानम्: giving; charity
• दानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• व्यवसिताः: resolved; determined
• व्यवसिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यवसित (वि+अव+सि/सा/सो?; here as past passive participle of वि+अव+√सो/√सि in sense 'resolve/decide')
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दमम्: self-control; restraint
• दमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एव: alone/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• महर्षयः: the great sages
• महर्षयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Asuras
• Devas
• Maharshis (great sages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse contrasts ethical orientations: Devas choose dāna (generosity), sages choose dama (self-restraint), while Asuras naturally incline toward dambha (vain, hypocritical display). It highlights how svabhāva (innate disposition) shapes one’s response to instruction and one’s chosen virtue.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brāhmaṇa explains that after a teaching was considered, different classes of beings manifested characteristic tendencies: Asuras displayed arrogance/pretence, Devas committed to giving, and great sages committed to restraint—showing divergent moral outcomes from the same context.