Shloka 18

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

Inner Teacher

Devanagari script

एतदेवेदृशं सूक्ष्मं ब्रह्मचर्य विदुर्बुधा: । विदित्वा चान्वपद्यन्त क्षेत्रज्ञेनानुदर्शिता:

Transliteration

etad evīdṛśaṃ sūkṣmaṃ brahmacaryaṃ vidur budhāḥ | viditvā cānvapadyanta kṣetrajñenānudarśitāḥ ||

Translation

ବୁଦ୍ଧିମାନମାନେ ଏହିଠାରେ ହିଁ ସୂକ୍ଷ୍ମ ବ୍ରହ୍ମଚର୍ଯ୍ୟ ଦେଖନ୍ତି। କ୍ଷେତ୍ରଜ୍ଞ ତତ୍ତ୍ୱଦର୍ଶୀଙ୍କ ଉପଦେଶରେ ପ୍ରବୁଦ୍ଧ ଆତ୍ମଜ୍ଞ ପୁରୁଷମାନେ ଏହାକୁ ଜାଣି ସଦା ଏହାର ପାଳନ କରନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• एतत्: this (very thing)
• एतत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• ईदृशम्: such/like this
• ईदृशम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईदृश
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सूक्ष्मम्: subtle
• सूक्ष्मम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रह्मचर्यम्: brahmacarya (continence/discipline)
• ब्रह्मचर्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• विदुः: know
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (ज्ञाने)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural

• बुधाः: the wise (men)
• बुधाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक: बुध)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विदित्वा: having known
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (ज्ञाने)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

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

• अन्वपद्यन्त: followed/practised
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-√पद् (गत्यर्थे/अनुगमने)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Plural

• क्षेत्रज्ञेन: by the knower of the field (self-knower)
• क्षेत्रज्ञेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्रज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अनुदर्शिताः: shown/instructed (by)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु-√दृश् (दर्शने)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्राह्मण (speaker)
• क्शेत्रज्ञ (kṣetrajña, the Knower of the Field/Inner Self)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True brahmacarya is described as a subtle, inward discipline recognized by the wise; when one is instructed by the kṣetrajña (the inner knower/self), one understands its real nature and steadily lives according to it.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brāhmaṇa speaker is explaining the refined meaning of brahmacarya, emphasizing that awakened, self-knowing persons—after receiving right guidance—undertake and continually maintain this disciplined way of life.