Shloka 38

Nārada’s Darśana of Viśvarūpa Nārāyaṇa and the Caturmūrti Doctrine (नारदस्य नारायणदर्शनं चतुर्मूर्तिविचारश्च)

Devanagari script

शीतमुष्णं तथैवार्थमनर्थ प्रियमप्रियम्‌ । जीवितं मरणं चैव ब्रह्म सम्पद्यते तदा

Transliteration

śītam uṣṇaṁ tathaivārtham anarthaṁ priyam apriyam | jīvitaṁ maraṇaṁ caiva brahma sampadyate tadā ||

Translation

ଯେତେବେଳେ ମଣିଷ ଶୀତ-ଉଷ୍ଣ, ଲାଭ-ହାନି, ପ୍ରିୟ-ଅପ୍ରିୟ ଏବଂ ଜୀବନ-ମରଣକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଏକେ ଧିର ଦୃଷ୍ଟିରେ ଦେଖେ—ସେତେବେଳେ ସେ ବ୍ରହ୍ମସ୍ୱରୂପକୁ ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ ହୁଏ; କାରଣ ତାହାର ମୁକ୍ତି ବାହ୍ୟ ପରିସ୍ଥିତିରେ ନୁହେଁ, ଅନ୍ତଃସମତାରେ ନିହିତ।

Word by Word

• शीतम्: cold
• शीतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• उष्णम्: heat
• उष्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उष्ण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

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

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

• अर्थम्: gain; benefit; purpose
• अर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अनर्थम्: loss; harm; misfortune
• अनर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• प्रियम्: the pleasant; dear (thing)
• प्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अप्रियम्: the unpleasant; not-dear (thing)
• अप्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• जीवितम्: life
• जीवितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• मरणम्: death
• मरणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

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

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

• ब्रह्म: Brahman; the Absolute
• ब्रह्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• सम्पद्यते: attains; becomes; comes to
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पद्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Atmanepada, Third, Singular

• तदा: then; at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

जनक उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Janaka
• Brahman

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches samatva (equanimity): when one’s mind remains even toward opposites—comfort and discomfort, success and failure, like and dislike, even life and death—one becomes fit for Brahman-realization, because attachment and aversion no longer govern perception or action.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on liberation and inner peace, King Janaka speaks as a teacher-figure, describing the mark of spiritual maturity: an equal gaze toward all dualities, culminating in the attainment of Brahman.