Shloka 163

Adhyāya 262: Śabda-brahman, Para-brahman, and the Ethics of Tyāga

Kapila–Syūmaraśmi Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मैव वर्तते लोके नैव कर्तव्यतां पुन: । जो करने योग्य कर्मोको अपना कर्तव्य समझता है और उसका पालन न होनेपर भय मानता है

Transliteration

brahmaiva vartate loke naiva kartavyatāṃ punaḥ |

Translation

ଏହି ଲୋକରେ ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ହିଁ ପ୍ରବୃତ୍ତ; ତେଣୁ ବ୍ରହ୍ମଠାରୁ ଭିନ୍ନ କୌଣସି ବାଧ୍ୟକ ‘କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟ’ ନାହିଁ। ଯେ କରଣୀୟ କର୍ମକୁ ନିଜ କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟ ଭାବେ ମାନେ ଏବଂ ତାହା ପାଳନରେ ଚ୍ୟୁତି ହେଲେ ଭୟ କରେ; ଯାହାର ଦୃଷ୍ଟିରେ ଋତ୍ୱିକ୍, ହବିଷ୍ୟ, ମନ୍ତ୍ର ଓ ଅଗ୍ନି—ସବୁ ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ହିଁ; ଏବଂ ଯେ କୌଣସି କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟକୁ ‘ମୋର’ ବୋଲି ଧରେ ନାହିଁ—କର୍ତ୍ତୃତ୍ୱାଭିମାନରହିତ—ସେଇ ସତ୍ୟ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ।

Word by Word

• ब्रह्म: Brahman (the Absolute)
• ब्रह्म: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• वर्तते: exists/prevails/abides
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (वर्तते)
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• एव: indeed/at all
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• कर्तव्यताम्: the state/idea of duty (doership-as-duty)
• कर्तव्यताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तव्यता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• पुनः: again/further
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

Speaker

चुलाधार उवाच

Characters & Entities

• चुलाधार (Cūlādhāra)
• ब्रह्म (Brahman)
• ऋत्विक् (ṛtvij)
• हविष्य (haviṣ)
• मन्त्र (mantra)
• अग्नि (Agni / sacrificial fire)
• ब्राह्मण (brāhmaṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Seeing Brahman as the sole reality behind all actions and ritual elements dissolves the ego of doership and possessive duty; true brāhmaṇa-hood is defined by this non-appropriating wisdom rather than by mere ritual performance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Cūlādhāra is instructing his interlocutor in Śānti Parva by redefining dharma and brahminhood: he shifts the focus from fear-driven obligation and external ritual identity to inner realization—everything involved in sacrifice is Brahman, and one should act without the conceit ‘I am the doer’ or ‘this duty is mine’.