Shloka 18

Aśoka-śāstra: Nārada’s Instruction on the Cessation of Śoka

Grief

Devanagari script

निशि चाहनि चात्मानं योजयेत्‌ परमात्मनि । प्रतीक्षमाणस्तत्कालं यत्कालं प्रेतता भवेत्‌

Transliteration

niśi cāhani cātmānaṃ yojayet paramātmani | pratīkṣamāṇas tat-kālaṃ yat-kālaṃ pretatā bhavet ||

Translation

ରାତି ଓ ଦିନ ଆତ୍ମାକୁ ପରମାତ୍ମାରେ ଯୋଗ କରିବା ଉଚିତ। ମୃତ୍ୟୁସୂଚକ ଲକ୍ଷଣ ବୁଝି, ମନସଂଯମୀ ସାଧକ ପ୍ରେତତା (ମରଣ) ହେବାକୁ ଯେ ସମୟ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଧାରିତ, ସେହି ସମୟକୁ ଶାନ୍ତ ଭାବେ ପ୍ରତୀକ୍ଷା କରୁ।

Word by Word

• निशि: at night
• निशि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अहनि: in the day
• अहनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• आत्मानम्: oneself (the mind/self)
• आत्मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• योजयेत्: should yoke/attach (should concentrate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• परमात्मनि: in the Supreme Self
• परमात्मनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• प्रतीक्षमाणः: waiting/expecting
• प्रतीक्षमाणः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-ईक्ष्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कालम्: time
• कालम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यत्: which
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कालम्: time
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रेतता: the state of being dead (death)
• प्रेतता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेतता
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• भवेत्: would be / should occur
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yājñavalkya
• Paramātman

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Continuous inner discipline: keep the mind yoked to the Supreme Self at all times, and cultivate death-awareness so that the final moment is met with steady contemplation rather than fear or distraction.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on liberation-oriented conduct, Yājñavalkya advises a seeker to practice uninterrupted meditation and, recognizing death’s forewarning signs, to remain composed and prepared for the inevitable transition.