Shloka 15

Adhyāya 353 — Kathā-prāmāṇya (Authority of Transmission) and the Brāhmaṇa’s Ascetic Resolve

Devanagari script

न लिप्यते फलैक्षापि पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा | कर्मात्मा त्वपरो यो$सौ मोक्षबन्धै: स युज्यते

Transliteration

na lipyate phalaiṣkāpi padmapatram ivāmbhasā | karmātmā tv aparaḥ yo'sau mokṣabandhaiḥ sa yujyate ||

Translation

నీటిలో ఉన్నా కమలపత్రం నీటితో అంటుకోనట్లే, పరమాత్మ కర్మఫలాలతో లిప్తుడుకాడు. కానీ కర్తనని తన్నుతాను భావించి బంధమో మోక్షమోతో సంబంధం కట్టుకునే వాడు—ఆ జీవాత్మ ఆయనకు భిన్నుడు.

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• लिप्यते: is smeared/tainted
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिप्
• Form: Present, Atmanepada, 3, Singular, Passive

• फलैः: by fruits (results)
• फलैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• पद्मपत्रम्: a lotus-leaf
• पद्मपत्रम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्मपत्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अम्भसा: by water
• अम्भसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्भस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• कर्मात्मा: the one whose nature is action / the agent-self
• कर्मात्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• अपरः: other/different
• अपरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• असौ: that (person/one)
• असौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (प्रातिपदिक: अदस्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मोक्षबन्धैः: by bondage and liberation (ties)
• मोक्षबन्धैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्षबन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• युज्यते: is joined/connected
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज्
• Form: Present, Atmanepada, 3, Singular, Passive

Speaker

पितामह उवाच

Characters & Entities

• पितामह (Bhīṣma)
• padma-patra (lotus leaf)
• ambhas (water)
• Paramātman (Supreme Self)
• jīvātman (individual self)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches the distinction between the Supreme Self, which is intrinsically unattached and unaffected by action-results, and the individual self that, through doership-identification, becomes entangled in notions of bondage and even liberation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha), in his instruction during the Śānti Parva, uses the lotus-leaf analogy to explain metaphysical detachment and to clarify how the experience of bondage arises for the doer-self, not for the Supreme.