Shloka 29

Sanatsujāta on Vedic Learning, Truth (Satya), and the Discipline of Dama–Tyāga–Apramāda

Devanagari script

अपारणीयं तमस: परस्तात्‌ तदन्तको<प्येति विनाशकाले । अणीयो रूपं क्षुरधारया सम॑ महच्च रूप॑ तद्‌ वै पर्वतेभ्य:

Transliteration

apāraṇīyaṃ tamasaḥ parastāt tad antako 'py eti vināśa-kāle | aṇīyo rūpaṃ kṣuradhārayā samaṃ mahac ca rūpaṃ tad vai parvatebhyaḥ ||

Translation

ସେହି ବ୍ରହ୍ମସ୍ୱରୂପର କୌଣସି ପାର ମିଳେ ନାହିଁ; ସେ ଅଜ୍ଞାନରୂପ ଅନ୍ଧକାରର ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ପରେ। ମହାପ୍ରଳୟର ବିନାଶକାଳେ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ଅନ୍ତକାରୀ କାଳ (ମୃତ୍ୟୁ) ମଧ୍ୟ ସେହି ତତ୍ତ୍ୱରେ ଲୀନ ହୋଇଯାଏ। ତାହା କ୍ଷୁରଧାରା ପରି ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ସୂକ୍ଷ୍ମ, ଏବଂ ପର୍ବତମାନଙ୍କଠାରୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ମହାନ—ଅର୍ଥାତ୍ ସୂକ୍ଷ୍ମତମ ଓ ମହତ୍ତମ।

Word by Word

• अपारणीयम्: unfathomable, not crossable
• अपारणीयम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपारणीय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तमसः: from darkness/ignorance
• तमसः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस्
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• परस्तात्: beyond, on the farther side
• परस्तात्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्तात्

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

• अन्तकः: the ender (Death/Time)
• अन्तकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: even, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• एति: goes, enters, reaches
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• विनाशकाले: at the time of destruction
• विनाशकाले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनाशकाल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• अणीयः: smaller, subtler
• अणीयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अणीयस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• रूपम्: form, nature
• रूपम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• क्षुरधारया: by/like the razor’s edge
• क्षुरधारया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुरधारा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• समम्: equal to, like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समम्

• महत्: great, vast
• महत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• रूपम्: form, nature
• रूपम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• पर्वतेभ्यः: than mountains / from mountains
• पर्वतेभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Plural

Speaker

सनत्युजात उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanatsujāta
• Brahman
• Tamas (ignorance/darkness)
• Antaka (Death/Time as destroyer)
• Pralaya (cosmic dissolution)
• Razor’s edge
• Mountains

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Brahman (ultimate Reality) transcends ignorance and even the power of death/time; it is simultaneously subtler than the subtlest and greater than the greatest, so liberation lies in knowledge of That rather than fear of destruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Sanatsujātīya discourse within Udyoga Parva, Sanatsujāta instructs (in response to concerns about death and ultimate good) by describing Brahman’s transcendence: at cosmic dissolution even the destroyer (Antaka) is absorbed into Brahman.