Shloka 5
Adhyāya 26 — Ekākṣara-Brahman (“Om”) and the Hṛdayastha Guru
Inner Teacher
एको द्वेष्टा नास्ति ततो द्वितीयो यो हृच्छयस्तमहमनुब्रवीमि । तेनानुशिष्टा गुरुणा सदैव लोके द्विष्टा: पन्नगा: सर्व एव
eko dveṣṭā nāsti tato dvitīyo yo hṛcchayas tam aham anubravīmi | tenānuśiṣṭā guruṇā sadaiva loke dviṣṭāḥ pannagāḥ sarva eva ||
“Iisa lamang ang tunay na kaaway—walang ikalawa. Siya ang Naninirahan sa loob ng puso; Siya ang Kataas-taasang Panginoon na ipinahahayag kong Guru. Sa pagtuturo ng Gurong nasa loob, ang lahat ng ahas sa daigdig ay laging may tatak ng pag-ayaw at nabubuhay sa walang humpay na pagkamapanlaban.”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse reframes 'enemy' as fundamentally singular and internal: the decisive force is the indwelling Lord/inner guide in the heart. Ethical focus shifts from blaming external others to recognizing an inner principle that governs dispositions; hostility (illustrated by serpents) is portrayed as a nature shaped under that inner governance.
A Brahmin speaker delivers a reflective instruction: he identifies the heart-dwelling supreme principle as the true Guru and explains, by way of example, that serpents in the world are characteristically hostile—presented as a consequence of being guided by that inner ordainer.