Shloka 9

Varṇāśrama-ācāra and Vikarma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry on Safe Dharmas (शिवधर्मप्रश्नः)

Devanagari script

निराशी: स्यात्‌ सर्वसमो निर्भोगो निर्विकारवान्‌ | विप्र: क्षेमाश्रमं प्राप्तो गच्छत्यक्षरसात्मताम्‌

Transliteration

nirāśī syāt sarvasamo nirbhogo nirvikāravān | vipraḥ kṣemāśramaṃ prāpto gacchaty akṣarasātmatām ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ସେ ନିରାଶୀ ହେଉ, ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ସମଭାବ ରଖୁ, ଭୋଗରୁ ବିରକ୍ତ ରହୁ, ଏବଂ ଅନ୍ତଃକରଣର ବିକାରରେ ଅଚଳ ରହୁ। ‘କ୍ଷେମାଶ୍ରମ’ରେ ପ୍ରବେଶ କରିଥିବା ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ଅକ୍ଷର ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ସହ ଏକାତ୍ମତା ପାଏ।

Word by Word

• निराशीः: free from hope/desire
• निराशीः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निराशिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्यात्: should be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (भू)
• Form: Optative, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सर्वसमः: equal towards all
• सर्वसमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वसम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निर्भोगः: without indulgence/enjoyment
• निर्भोगः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्भोग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निर्विकारवान्: free from modifications/perturbations
• निर्विकारवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विकारवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विप्रः: a Brahmin
• विप्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षेमाश्रमम्: the kṣema-āśrama (peaceful/secure hermitage-stage)
• क्षेमाश्रमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेमाश्रम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्राप्तः: having attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप्
• Form: क्त, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गच्छति: goes/attains
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अक्षरसात्मताम्: identity with the imperishable (Brahman)
• अक्षरसात्मताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षरसात्मता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• vipra (brahmin)
• kṣemāśrama
• akṣara (Imperishable Brahman)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches a renunciant ethic: abandon expectation and craving, maintain equal regard for all, avoid sense-indulgence, and remain inwardly unperturbed; such discipline in the kṣema-āśrama culminates in realization of oneness with the Imperishable Brahman.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma is advising on dharma and the life of spiritual discipline; here he describes the qualities of a brahmin/renunciant who enters the kṣema-āśrama and the ultimate result—attainment of identity with akṣara (Brahman).