Shloka 30

Yoga-kṛtya (योककृत्य) — Vyāsa on Sense-Restraint, Obstacles, and Brahman-Realization

Devanagari script

दे ब्रह्मणी वेदितव्ये शब्दब्रह्म परं च यत्‌ शब्दब्रद्माणि निष्णात: परं ब्रह्माधिगच्छति

Transliteration

dve brahmaṇī veditavye śabda-brahma paraṃ ca yat | śabda-brahmaṇi niṣṇātaḥ paraṃ brahmādhigacchati ||

Translation

ਵਿਆਸ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਦੇ ਦੋ ਰੂਪ ਜਾਣਨਯੋਗ ਹਨ: ਇੱਕ ਸ਼ਬਦ-ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਅਤੇ ਦੂਜਾ ਪਰ-ਬ੍ਰਹਮ। ਜੋ ਸ਼ਬਦ-ਬ੍ਰਹਮ—ਅਰਥਾਤ ਵੇਦ—ਵਿੱਚ ਨਿਪੁੰਨ ਹੈ, ਉਹ ਸੁਗਮਤਾ ਨਾਲ ਪਰ-ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਦਾ ਸਾਕਸ਼ਾਤਕਾਰ ਕਰ ਲੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• dve: two
• dve: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi
• Form: feminine, nominative, dual

• brahmaṇī: two Brahmans / two aspects of Brahman
• brahmaṇī: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman
• Form: neuter, nominative, dual

• veditavye: to be known, knowable
• veditavye: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √vid
• Form: neuter, nominative, dual

• śabda-brahma: verbal Brahman (Veda as Brahman)
• śabda-brahma: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda + brahman
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• param: supreme
• param: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca

• yat: which (that)
• yat: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: yad
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• śabda-brahmaṇi: in/with regard to the verbal Brahman (Veda)
• śabda-brahmaṇi: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda-brahman
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• niṣṇātaḥ: fully proficient, well-versed
• niṣṇātaḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niṣṇāta
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• param: the supreme
• param: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• brahma: Brahman
• brahma: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• adhigacchati: attains, realizes
• Type: Verb
• Root: adhi-√gam
• Form: present, 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Brahman
• Śabda-brahma (Veda)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Brahman is spoken of in two ways: as śabda-brahma (the Veda, apprehended through words) and as para-brahma (the supreme reality beyond words). Deep proficiency in the Veda, when rightly oriented, becomes a means that supports realization of the supreme Brahman.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the instruction-heavy Shānti Parva, Vyāsa delivers a doctrinal clarification about spiritual knowledge: he distinguishes scriptural/linguistic Brahman from the transcendent Brahman and explains the relationship between Vedic learning and final realization.