Shloka 13

Dharma of the Renunciant: Alms Discipline, Meditation, and Expiations

Devanagari script

यद्वा गुहादौ प्रकृतौ जगत्संमोहनालये । विचिंत्य परमं व्योम सर्वभूतैककारणम्

Transliteration

yadvā guhādau prakṛtau jagatsaṃmohanālaye | viciṃtya paramaṃ vyoma sarvabhūtaikakāraṇam

Translation

లేదా గుహాదులలో—జగత్తు మోహానికి ఆలయమైన ప్రకృతిలో—సర్వభూతములకు ఏకకారణమైన పరమ వ్యోమాన్ని విచింతించాలి.

Word by Word

• यद्: or else
• यद्: सम्बन्ध (Discourse-correlative; no direct kāraka)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom/Acc; used idiomatically with वा), एकवचन (Singular); वाक्योपक्रम-निपातवत् (correlative 'or else')

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध (Particle; no kāraka)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• गुहा-आदौ: in a cave etc.
• गुहा-आदौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुहा-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; components: गुहा + आदि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) (आदि), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); अव्ययीभाव-समास (adverbial locative: 'in places beginning with a cave')

• प्रकृतौ: in nature; in the primal matter
• प्रकृतौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• जगत्-संमोहन-आलये: in the abode of the world's delusion
• जगत्-संमोहन-आलये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत्-संमोहन-आलय (प्रातिपदिक; components: जगत् + संमोहन + आलय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); अधिकरणम् (place)

• विचिन्त्य: having contemplated
• विचिन्त्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to implied main verb of practice/meditation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि-चिन्त् (धातु) + ल्यप् (Ktvā/ल्यप्) → विचिन्त्य (कृदन्त-अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाल (prior action): 'having contemplated'

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: विशेषण (Adjectival to Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying) व्योम

• व्योम: sky/space
• व्योम: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्योमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वभूत-एक-कारणम्: the single cause of all beings
• सर्वभूत-एक-कारणम्: विशेषण (Adjectival to Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वभूत-एक-कारण (प्रातिपदिक; components: सर्वभूत + एक + कारण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying) व्योम

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice not provided in the input excerpt)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: forest

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: यद्वा = यद् + वा; गुहादौ = गुहा + आदौ; जगत्संमोहनालये = जगत् + संमोहनालये; संमोहनालये = संमोहन + आलये

FAQs

Why does the verse mention a cave and similar places for contemplation?

It points to secluded, distraction-free settings traditionally recommended for dhyāna, where the mind can withdraw from sensory “enchantment” (saṃmohana) and stabilize in contemplation.

What is meant by “paramaṃ vyoma” in this context?

Literally “supreme space/sky,” it functions as a metaphysical image for the highest Reality—limitless, subtle, and all-pervading—worthy of contemplation as the ground of existence.

What is the core philosophical teaching of this shloka?

It instructs the practitioner to contemplate the ultimate principle as the single cause of all beings, even while situated within Prakṛti, which is described as the locus of worldly delusion.