Shloka 9

Yājñavalkya on the Unity of Sāṃkhya and Yoga and the Marks of Meditative Composure

Devanagari script

पजञ्चविंशो महानात्मा तस्यैवाप्रतिबोधनात्‌ | विमलस्य विशुद्धस्य शुद्धाशुद्धनिषेवणात्‌

Transliteration

pañcaviṁśo mahānātmā tasyaivāpratibodhanāt | vimalasya viśuddhasya śuddhāśuddhaniṣevaṇāt ||

Translation

ବସିଷ୍ଠ କହିଲେ—ପଞ୍ଚବିଂଶତମ ତତ୍ତ୍ୱ, ସେଇ ମହାତ୍ମା, ସ୍ୱଭାବତଃ ନିର୍ମଳ ଓ ପରମ ପବିତ୍ର। କିନ୍ତୁ ତାହାକୁ ନ ଚିହ୍ନିବାରୁ ଏବଂ ଶୁଦ୍ଧ-ଅଶୁଦ୍ଧର ସଙ୍ଗ ଓ ସେବନରୁ, ସେ ନିର୍ଲିପ୍ତ ଆତ୍ମା ମଧ୍ୟ ଶୁଦ୍ଧ ଓ ଅଶୁଦ୍ଧ ପରି ଦିଶେ। ହେ ପୃଥିବୀନାଥ! ଅବିବେକୀଙ୍କ ସଙ୍ଗରେ ବିବେକୀ ମଧ୍ୟ ଅବିବେକୀ ହୋଇଯାଏ।

Word by Word

• पञ्चविंशः: the twenty-fifth
• पञ्चविंशः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चविंश (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महानात्मा: the great-souled one (great self)
• महानात्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महान् + आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तस्य: of him/its
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

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

• अप्रतिबोधनात्: from non-awakening / from not knowing
• अप्रतिबोधनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्रतिबोधन (नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक; प्रति+बुध् → प्रतिबोधन, तस्य अभावः)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• विमलस्य: of the spotless/pure
• विमलस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• विशुद्धस्य: of the completely pure
• विशुद्धस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशुद्ध
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• शुद्धाशुद्धनिषेवणात्: from resorting to/associating with the pure and the impure
• शुद्धाशुद्धनिषेवणात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्ध + अशुद्ध + निषेवण (नि+सेव् → निषेवण)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Pṛthvīnātha (the king addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The Self (Puruṣa), though intrinsically pure and unattached, seems to take on impurity or purity due to ignorance (non-recognition) and due to association/indulgence in mixed influences; therefore one should cultivate discernment and avoid the company and habits that erode it.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vasiṣṭha instructs a king (addressed as ‘lord of the earth’) in a philosophical-ethical discourse: he identifies the ‘twenty-fifth principle’ as the pure Self and explains how ignorance and association with pure/impure objects makes it appear otherwise, concluding with a practical warning about the corrupting power of bad company.