Shloka 4

अध्याय २८६ — पराशर-उपदेशः

Ethical Restraint, Mortality, and Karma

Devanagari script

उद्वेगं न हि ते किंचित्‌ सुसूक्ष्ममपि लक्षये । नित्यतृप्त इव स्वस्थो बालवच्च विचेष्टसे,मैं आपके चित्तमें कभी कोई थोड़ा-सा भी उद्वेग नहीं देख पाता हूँ। आप नित्य तृप्तकी भाँति अपने-आपमें ही स्थित रहकर बालकोंके समान चेष्टा करते हैं (इसका क्या कारण है?)

Transliteration

udvegaṁ na hi te kiṁcit susūkṣmam api lakṣaye | nityatṛpta iva svastho bālavat ca viceṣṭase ||

Translation

Nārada disse: “Não percebo em ti sequer a mais leve agitação, por mais sutil que seja. Pareces firme e senhor de ti, como se estivesses sempre satisfeito, e te moves com a espontaneidade simples de uma criança. Qual é a razão disso?”

Word by Word

उद्वेगम्agitation, disturbance

नnot

हिindeed, for

तेof you, your

किञ्चित्anything, even a little

सुसूक्ष्मम्very subtle, extremely slight

अपिeven, also

लक्षयेI perceive, I notice

नित्यतृप्तःever-content, always satisfied

इवas if, like

स्वस्थःself-possessed, at ease

बालवत्like a child

चand

विचेष्टसेyou act, you behave/move about

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ideal of inner steadiness: a person free from even subtle agitation (udvega), established in oneself (svastha), and naturally content (nityatṛpta). Such composure can coexist with outward simplicity and spontaneity, symbolized by ‘like a child’ (bālavat).

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada addresses a person whose demeanor shows no trace of anxiety. Observing their calm, self-contained contentment and childlike manner of acting, he asks what inner cause or realization produces such unshaken tranquility.