Shloka 20

Adhyaya 38 — Dattatreya on Non-Identification (Mamata) and the Path to Liberation

Sanskrit

तन्मे योगं तथा ब्रह्मन् ! प्रणतायाभियाचते ।

सम्यग् ब्रूहि महाप्राज्ञ ! सत्सङ्गो ह्युपकृन् नृणाम् ॥

Transliteration

tanme yogantathā brahman ! praṇatāyābhiyācate |

samyag brūhi mahāprājña ! satsaṅgo hyupakṛnnṛṇām ||

Translation

Portanto, ó brâmane, a mim que me inclino e pergunto com sinceridade, ensina corretamente esse yoga, ó grande sábio; pois a convivência com os bons de fato beneficia as pessoas.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object ‘that (teaching)’

• मे: to me/for me
• मे: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th case) एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (recipient)

• योगम्: yoga (discipline)
• योगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (object requested)

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/तद्वत् (also/likewise)

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman (sage)
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• प्रणताय: to (me) who am bowed down
• प्रणताय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; ‘to one who is bowed’ (speaker)

• अभियाचते: requests
• अभियाचते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: याच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; with उपसर्ग अभि- ‘requests/begs’

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• ब्रूहि: tell/speak
• ब्रूहि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• महाप्राज्ञ: O greatly wise one
• महाप्राज्ञ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā + प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (महान् प्राज्ञः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• सत्सङ्गः: association with the good
• सत्सङ्गः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् + सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सतां सङ्गः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; subject

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक (indeed/for)

• उपकृत्: beneficial
• उपकृत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप + कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृ-धातोः क्विप् (agent-noun/participle-like) ‘one who benefits’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate adjective of सत्सङ्गः

• नृणाम्: of people
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; genitive ‘of men/people’

Speakers

• King Alarka to the teaching Brahman/ṛṣi

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "bhakti", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Yoga instruction request
• Humility/surrender
• Satsaṅga as spiritual aid
• Guru–śiṣya dynamic

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Humility and right association are presented as accelerants of liberation; the seeker requests a concrete yogic method, acknowledging that satsaṅga is itself a major grace.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Instructional dialogue (upadeśa) that supports dharma and mokṣa aims, not a pancalakṣaṇa narrative unit.

What is the esoteric significance?

The bowing seeker symbolizes ego-softening; when ‘mamatā’ (mine-ness) weakens, yoga becomes transmissible—hence the link between surrender, satsaṅga, and effective practice.