Shloka 9

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

Inner Teacher

Devanagari script

तेषां प्रद्रवमाणानामुपदेशार्थमात्मन: । सर्पाणां दंशने भाव: प्रवृत्त: पूर्वमेव तु

Transliteration

teṣāṃ pradravamāṇānām upadeśārtham ātmanaḥ | sarpāṇāṃ daṃśane bhāvaḥ pravṛttaḥ pūrvam eva tu ||

Translation

ସେମାନେ ନିଜ-ନିଜ ହିତ ପାଇଁ ସେଇ ଉପଦେଶର ଅର୍ଥ ବିଚାର କରୁଥିବାବେଳେ, ସବୁଠାରୁ ପ୍ରଥମେ ସର୍ପମାନଙ୍କ ମନରେ ଦଂଶନ କରିବାର ଭାବ ଜାଗିଉଠିଲା; କାରଣ ଏକେଇ ବାଣୀ ସମ୍ମୁଖରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ସ୍ୱଭାବ ଅନୁସାରେ ଭିନ୍ନ ଭିନ୍ନ ପ୍ରବୃତ୍ତି ପ୍ରକାଶ ପାଏ।

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• प्रद्रवमाणानाम्: of (those) running away / fleeing
• प्रद्रवमाणानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + द्रु (धातु)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural, शतृ (present active participle)

• उपदेशार्थम्: for the purpose of instruction
• उपदेशार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपदेश + अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आत्मनः: of oneself / of his own
• आत्मनः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सर्पाणाम्: of the serpents
• सर्पाणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्प
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• दंशने: in biting / in the act of biting
• दंशने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दंशन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• भावः: a disposition / intention
• भावः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रवृत्तः: arose / became active
• प्रवृत्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• पूर्वम्: formerly / first
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व

• एव: indeed / just
• एव: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• तु: but / however
• तु: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्राह्मण (Brahmin speaker)
• सर्प (serpents)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The same instruction can yield different outcomes because beings act according to their inherent disposition (bhāva/svabhāva). Ethical response is shaped not only by the teaching but by the listener’s inner nature.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Brahmin narrator describes how, amid agitation and reflection on a counsel meant for their benefit, the serpents first developed the impulse to bite—illustrating how their characteristic tendency manifests immediately when they interpret the instruction.