Shloka 13

अहिंसा-प्रधान धर्मविचारः

Ahiṃsā as the Superior Dharma: Practical and Scriptural Reasoning

Devanagari script

प्रससाद किल ब्रह्मा स्वयमेवात्मना55त्मनि । स्मयमानश्न लोकेशो लोकान्‌ सर्वनवैक्षत

Transliteration

prasasāda kila brahmā svayam evātmanā ātmani | smayamānaś ca lokeśo lokān sarvān avaikṣata ||

Translation

ภีษมะกล่าวว่า “เล่ากันว่า พระพรหมทรงสงบผ่องใสด้วยพระองค์เอง ทรงตั้งอาตมันไว้ในปรมาตมัน ครั้นแล้วพระผู้เป็นเจ้าแห่งโลกทั้งปวงทรงแย้มสรวล แลทอดพระเนตรสำรวจโลกทั้งสิ้น”

Word by Word

प्रससादbecame pleased/was appeased

किलindeed, it is said

ब्रह्माBrahmā

स्वयम्by himself

एवonly, indeed

आत्मनाby (his) self

आत्मनिin (his) self

स्मयमानःsmiling

लोकेशःlord of the worlds

लोकान्worlds

सर्वान्all

अवैक्षतlooked upon, beheld

Speaker

पितामह उवाच

Characters & Entities

प

पितामह (Bhīṣma, as speaker)

ब

ब्रह्मा (Brahmā)

ल

लोकेश (Lord of the worlds)

ल

लोकाः (the worlds/realms)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights inner composure as the basis of right vision: Brahmā becomes serene by abiding in the Self (ātmanā ātmani), and from that settled state he beholds the worlds without agitation—suggesting that ethical and cosmic order is best understood from inner steadiness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes a moment in which Brahmā, having attained calmness, smiles and surveys all the worlds—an image of the creator/lord contemplating creation from a state of self-contained tranquility.