Shloka 231

अन्तर्वन-विद्यारण्योपमा

The Allegory of the Inner Forest of Knowledge

Devanagari script

नदीनां सड़मश्नैव वैताने समुपद्लरे । स्वात्मतृप्ता यतो यान्ति साक्षादेव पितामहम्‌

Transliteration

nadīnāṁ saḍam aśnaiva vaitāne samupadlāre | svātma-tṛptā yato yānti sākṣād eva pitāmaham ||

Translation

బ్రాహ్మణుడు ఇలా అన్నాడు—వైతాన యజ్ఞక్రియలో వారు సడా-ఆహుతిని స్వీకరిస్తారు; తమ స్వాత్మలోనే తృప్తి పొందినవారై అక్కడి నుండి సాక్షాత్తు పితామహుడైన బ్రహ్ముని చేరుతారు.

Word by Word

• नदीनाम्: of rivers
• नदीनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• सदाम्: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• अश्नैव: attains (indeed)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश्नु
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वैताने: in the sacrificial rite (Vedic/ritual context)
• वैताने: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैतान
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• समुपद्लरे: appears/comes forth (reading uncertain)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उप-√दृश् (समुपदर्शयति/समुपदृश्यते) / पाठभेद-संशय
• Form: Unclear (corrupt/variant reading), Unclear, Unclear, Unclear

• स्वात्मतृप्ताः: satisfied in their own selves
• स्वात्मतृप्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व-आत्म-तृप्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यतः: from where/whence; because
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस्

• यान्ति: they go
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Present, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• साक्षात्: directly; in person
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात्

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

• पितामहम्: the Grandfather (Brahmā)
• पितामहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्राह्मण (speaker)
• पितामह (Brahmā)
• वैतान (Vedic sacrificial rite)
• सडा (saḍa offering)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links correct Vedic sacrificial practice with an inner state of self-satisfaction (svātma-tṛpti), presenting the highest fruit as direct attainment of Pitāmaha (Brahmā). It implies that ritual efficacy is not merely external performance but is fulfilled when accompanied by inner completeness.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Brāhmaṇa speaker describes the outcome of participants in a vaitāna (Vedic sacrificial) rite: after partaking of the saḍa offering, they depart from that rite and are said to reach Pitāmaha (Brahmā) directly, emphasizing the rite’s promised spiritual destination.