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Shloka 4

Kāma–Mamatā–Upadeśa

Discourse on Desire, Possessiveness, and Ritual Duty

ब्रह्ममृत्यू ततो राजन्नात्मन्येव व्यवस्थितौ । अदृश्यमानौ भूतानि योधयेतामसंशयम्‌,राजन! इस प्रकार मृत्यु और अमृत दोनों अपने भीतर ही स्थित हैं। ये दोनों अदृश्य रहकर प्राणियोंको लड़ाते हैं अर्थात्‌ किसीको अपना मानना और किसीको अपना न मानना यह भाव ही युद्धका कारण है, इसमें संशय नहीं है

brahmamṛtyū tato rājann ātmany eva vyavasthitau | adṛśyamānau bhūtāni yodhayetām asaṃśayam ||

วายุตรัสว่า “ฉะนั้นแล พระราชา ความไม่ตายดุจพรหมันและความตาย ล้วนตั้งอยู่ในตนเอง ทั้งสองแม้มิปรากฏแก่ตา ก็ยังผลักดันสรรพชีวิตให้เข้าสู่ความขัดแย้งโดยปราศจากข้อสงสัย”

ब्रह्मimmortality / Brahman (here: अमृत)
ब्रह्म:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Dual
मृत्यूdeath
मृत्यू:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्यु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
ततःtherefore / then
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
राजन्O king
राजन्:
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
आत्मनिin the self
आत्मनि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन्
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
एवindeed / only
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
व्यवस्थितौsituated / established
व्यवस्थितौ:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootव्यवस्थित
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
अदृश्यमानौnot being seen / invisible
अदृश्यमानौ:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअदृश्यमान
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
भूतानिcreatures / beings
भूतानि:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootभूत
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
योधयेताम्would cause (them) to fight
योधयेताम्:
TypeVerb
Rootयुध्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Dual, Causative (णिच्), Parasmaipada
असंशयम्without doubt
असंशयम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअसंशय

वायुदेव उवाच

V
Vāyudeva (Vāyu)
R
rājan (the king, addressee)

Educational Q&A

Death and deathlessness are not merely external events but inner principles: one’s orientation toward the Self (brahma/amṛta) leads toward freedom, while identification with separative notions fosters mortality-bound fear and aggression. The verse points to possessiveness—‘mine’ versus ‘not mine’—as an unseen driver that provokes beings into conflict.

Vāyudeva addresses the king and explains a subtle cause behind warfare and hostility. He frames conflict as arising from invisible inner forces—mortality and immortality—operating within beings, especially through the psychology of attachment and exclusion.