Shloka 15

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

Arjuna–Vāsudeva framed dialogue

Devanagari script

गुरुर्वाच ब्रह्मणोक्तमिदं सर्वमृषिप्रवरसेवितम्‌ । वेदविद्यां समाश्रित्य तत्त्वभूतार्थभावनम्‌

Transliteration

vāyudeva uvāca | gurur uvāca brahmaṇoktam idaṁ sarvam ṛṣipravarasevitam | vedavidyāṁ samāśritya tattvabhūtārthabhāvanam |

Translation

Учитель сказал: «Дитя моё, Брахма уже изложил всё это — ответы на вопросы, которые ты задал, — опираясь на ведическое знание. Наивысшие риши неизменно прибегали к этому учению и следовали ему на деле. В ответах на эти вопросы размышление направлено к высшей истине и к предельному смыслу реальности.»

Word by Word

• गुरुः: the teacher
• गुरुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• उक्तम्: said/declared
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Kta (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• इदम्: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ऋषिप्रवरसेवितम्: practised/used by the foremost sages
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋषिप्रवर-सेवित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• वेदविद्याम्: Vedic knowledge/learning
• वेदविद्याम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदविद्या
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• समाश्रित्य: having resorted to
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-श्रि
• Form: Ktva (absolutive/gerund), Active (parasmai sense)

• तत्त्वभूतार्थभावनम्: reflection on the true/real meaning of things
• तत्त्वभूतार्थभावनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व-भूत-अर्थ-भावन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• Guru (teacher)
• Brahmā
• Ṛṣis (foremost sages)
• Veda (Vedic knowledge)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That the answers to profound spiritual questions are already articulated within the Vedic tradition as taught by Brahmā and continuously cultivated by eminent sages; one should rely on Vedic knowledge to contemplate tattva (ultimate reality) and its highest meaning.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva reports a teacher’s response to a student: the teacher reassures the student that the questions raised have authoritative answers in Brahmā’s Vedic instruction, long practiced by leading ṛṣis, and that the discussion aims at understanding ultimate truth.