Mahabharata — Ashvamedhika Parva, Shloka 18

Brahma-vidyā: Satya–Tapas and the Enumeration of Tattvas

Arjuna–Vāsudeva framed dialogue

Devanagari script

यो न कामयते किंचिन्न किंचिदभिमन्यते । इहलोकस्थ एवैष ब्रह्म भूयाय कल्पते

Transliteration

yo na kāmayate kiñcin na kiñcid abhimanyate | ihalokastha eva eṣa brahma bhūyāya kalpate ||

Translation

ਵਾਯੂ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ— ਜੋ ਕਿਸੇ ਚੀਜ਼ ਦੀ ਕਾਮਨਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਕਰਦਾ ਅਤੇ ਕਿਸੇ ਗੱਲ ਦਾ ਅਭਿਮਾਨ ਨਹੀਂ ਰੱਖਦਾ, ਉਹ ਇਸੇ ਲੋਕ ਵਿੱਚ ਰਹਿੰਦਿਆਂ ਹੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ-ਭਾਵ ਨੂੰ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਕਰਨ ਜੋਗ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• कामयते: desires
• Type: Verb
• Root: कम् (कामय्)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• किंचित्: anything (something)
• किंचित्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• किंचित्: anything (in any way)
• किंचित्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अभिमन्यते: thinks proudly of / is conceited about
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (अभि + मन्)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• इह: here, in this world
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• लोकस्थः: situated in the world
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोकस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• एषः: this (person)
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• भूयाय: would become / may become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (भूय)
• Form: Optative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कल्पते: is fit / is capable / is destined
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• Brahman

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Freedom from craving (kāma) and egoic self-importance (abhimāna) is presented as the immediate qualification for Brahman-realization; liberation is not postponed to after death but is attainable while living through inner detachment and humility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is instructing the listener with a concise spiritual maxim: the person who neither desires objects nor clings to pride can, even amid worldly life, become fit for the highest state (Brahman).