Shloka 10

Adhyāya 222 — ब्रह्मस्थानप्राप्ति: मोक्षधर्मे समत्वव्रतम्

Attaining the Brahman-Station: The Vow of Equanimity in Mokṣadharma

Devanagari script

अथ ते लक्ष्यते बुद्धि: समा बालजनैरिह । आत्मानं मन्यमान: सन्‌ श्रेय: किमिह मन्यसे

Transliteration

atha te lakṣyate buddhiḥ samā bālajanair iha | ātmānaṃ manyamānaḥ san śreyaḥ kim iha manyase ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଏଠାରେ ତୁମ ବୁଦ୍ଧି ବାଳକମାନଙ୍କ ପରି ଚଞ୍ଚଳ ନୁହେଁ; ସମ ଓ ନିଷ୍ପକ୍ଷ—ରାଗ-ଦ୍ୱେଷର ଝୋକରୁ ମୁକ୍ତ ଦିଶୁଛି। ତୁମେ ଆତ୍ମବୋଧରେ ସ୍ଥିତ, ସେଥିପାଇଁ ଏହି ଅବସ୍ଥା। ତେଣୁ ମୁଁ ପଚାରୁଛି—ଏହି ଜଗତରେ ଆତ୍ମଜ୍ଞାନ ଓ ପରମ ଶ୍ରେୟ ପାଇଁ ସର୍ବୋତ୍ତମ ସାଧନ କ’ଣ ବୋଲି ତୁମେ ମନେ କରୁଛ?

Word by Word

• अथ: then/now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• ते: of you/your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• लक्ष्यते: is perceived/appears
• Type: Verb
• Root: लक्ष्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada, Passive

• बुद्धिः: intellect/mind
• बुद्धिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• समा: even/equanimous
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• बालजनैः: by/among childish people (children/ignorant folk)
• बालजनैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालजन
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• इह: here/in this world
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• आत्मानम्: the Self
• आत्मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मन्यमानः: thinking/considering
• मन्यमानः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सन्: being
• सन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ) irregular form, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रेयः: the highest good/best means
• श्रेयः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इह: here/in this world
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• मन्यसे: you think/consider
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्
• Form: Present, 2nd, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (speaker)
• ātman (the Self)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Equanimity—freedom from rāga (attachment) and dveṣa (aversion)—is presented as a visible sign of Self-abidance. Bhishma frames a dharmic inquiry: among worldly options, which discipline or means most effectively leads to ātmājñāna (knowledge of the Self) and śreyas (the highest good).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction-dialogue, Bhishma addresses a spiritually mature interlocutor whose calm, impartial intellect is evident. Recognizing this as rooted in Self-awareness, Bhishma asks them to state what they consider the सर्वोत्तम practical means for attaining Self-knowledge and ultimate welfare.