Shloka 176

Adhyāya 199: Karma–Jñāna Causality and the Nirguṇa Brahman

Manu’s Instruction

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणो5पि जपन्नास्ते दिव्यं वर्षशतं तथा । भीष्मजी कहते हैं--राजन्‌! ऐसा कहकर भगवती सावित्री देवी अपने धामको चली गयीं और ब्राह्मण भी दिव्य सौ वर्षोतक पूर्ववत्‌ जपमें संलग्न रहा

Transliteration

brāhmaṇo 'pi japann āste divyaṁ varṣaśataṁ tathā |

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ରାଜନ୍! ସେ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ମଧ୍ୟ ସେହିପରି ଜପ କରି ବସି ରହିଲା ଏବଂ ଦିବ୍ୟ ଶତବର୍ଷ ପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ପୂର୍ବବତ୍ ଜପରେ ନିମଗ୍ନ ରହିଲା।

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणः: the Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• जपन्: chanting/repeating (a mantra)
• जपन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आस्ते: sits/remains
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस्
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• दिव्यम्: divine
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वर्षशतम्: a hundred years
• वर्षशतम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्षशत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तथा: thus/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• the brāhmaṇa (unnamed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches steadfastness in spiritual discipline: japa and tapas bear fruit through sustained, unwavering practice over long periods, reflecting self-control and commitment to dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma narrates that the brāhmaṇa continues his mantra-recitation without interruption, remaining absorbed in japa for a ‘divine’ span of one hundred years, emphasizing continuity after a significant divine encounter in the surrounding story.