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Shloka 17

Yamavākya

The Words of Yama

यदेकः कुरुते कर्म तदेकेनैव भुज्यते । ततोऽन्यस्य कृतं ब्रह्मन्बीजं धात्रीसमुद्भवम् ॥ १७ ॥

yadekaḥ kurute karma tadekenaiva bhujyate | tato'nyasya kṛtaṃ brahmanbījaṃ dhātrīsamudbhavam || 17 ||

Anumang gawa ng isang tao, ang bunga nito’y siya ring mag-isa ang tatanggap. Kaya, O Brahmin, ang “binhi” ng karma ay sumisibol sa sariling gawa, hindi sa gawa ng iba.

यत्that which
यत्:
Karma (कर्म/Object; correlates with तत्)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (singular); सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)
एकःone (person)
एकः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootएक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular)
कुरुतेdoes/performs
कुरुते:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
TypeVerb
Root√कृ (धातु)
Formलट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), आत्मनेपद
कर्मaction/deed
कर्म:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular)
तत्that
तत्:
Karma (कर्म/Object; correlates with यत्)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (singular); तद्-सम्बन्ध (correlative)
एकेनby one (alone)
एकेन:
Karana (करण/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootएक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसक (m/n), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (singular)
एवonly/indeed
एव:
Avyaya (अव्यय/Emphasis)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle), अवधारण (emphasis/only)
भुज्यतेis enjoyed/experienced
भुज्यते:
Kriya (क्रिया/Passive verbal)
TypeVerb
Root√भुज् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)
ततःtherefore/from that
ततः:
Avyaya (अव्यय/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (अव्यय; तद्-तसिल्)
Formअव्यय (indeclinable), तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb): 'therefore/from that'
अन्यस्यof another
अन्यस्य:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootअन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसक (m/n), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (singular)
कृतम्done/made
कृतम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeVerb
Root√कृ (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
ब्रह्मन्O Brahmin
ब्रह्मन्:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन (singular)
बीजम्seed
बीजम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object/Topic)
TypeNoun
Rootबीज (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (singular)
धात्री-समुद्भवम्arisen from the mother/nurse
धात्री-समुद्भवम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootधात्री (प्रातिपदिक) + समुद्भव (प्रातिपदिक; सम्+उद्+√भू)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धात्र्याः समुद्भवम्)

Narada (teaching to a Brahmin interlocutor within the Uttara-Bhaga discourse)

Vrata: none

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"none","emotional_journey":"A calm, firm doctrinal clarification: personal action yields personal fruition; responsibility is non-transferable."}

FAQs

It establishes the core karmic principle: each being experiences the fruits of their own actions, reinforcing ethical accountability and the need for self-purification on the path to liberation.

By stressing personal responsibility, it implies that sincere bhakti—japa, vrata, and worship—must be undertaken by the individual; no one else can “do” one’s inner surrender or reap its spiritual fruit on one’s behalf.

It aligns with Dharmashastra-style reasoning rather than a specific Vedanga technique: the practical takeaway is correct discernment of karma-phala (cause and result), guiding proper conduct, vows (vrata), and ritual intent.