Shloka 10

Adhyāya 26 — Ekākṣara-Brahman (“Om”) and the Hṛdayastha Guru

Inner Teacher

Devanagari script

असुराणां प्रवृत्तस्तु दम्भभाव: स्वभावज: । दानं॑ देवा व्यवसिता दममेव महर्षय:

Transliteration

asurāṇāṁ pravṛttas tu dambhabhāvaḥ svabhāvajāḥ | dānaṁ devā vyavasitā damam eva maharṣayaḥ ||

Translation

اسوروں میں فطری طور پر دَنبھ (ریاکارانہ غرور) کا جذبہ ابھرا؛ دیوتاؤں نے دان کو اپنا راستہ ٹھہرایا اور مہارشیوں نے دَم—یعنی نفس پر قابو—ہی کو اختیار کیا۔ یوں ایک ہی تعلیم سے مختلف سرشتوں کے مختلف اخلاقی عزم ظاہر ہوئے۔

Word by Word

• असुराणाम्: of the Asuras
• असुराणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• प्रवृत्तः: arisen/manifested
• प्रवृत्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवृत्त (प्र+वृत्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• दम्भभावः: the state of arrogance/ostentation
• दम्भभावः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम्भभाव (दम्भ + भाव)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वभावजः: born of (their) nature; natural
• स्वभावजः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वभावज (स्वभाव + ज)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दानम्: giving; charity
• दानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• व्यवसिताः: resolved; determined
• व्यवसिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यवसित (वि+अव+सि/सा/सो?; here as past passive participle of वि+अव+√सो/√सि in sense 'resolve/decide')
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दमम्: self-control; restraint
• दमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एव: alone/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• महर्षयः: the great sages
• महर्षयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Asuras
• Devas
• Maharshis (great sages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse contrasts ethical orientations: Devas choose dāna (generosity), sages choose dama (self-restraint), while Asuras naturally incline toward dambha (vain, hypocritical display). It highlights how svabhāva (innate disposition) shapes one’s response to instruction and one’s chosen virtue.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brāhmaṇa explains that after a teaching was considered, different classes of beings manifested characteristic tendencies: Asuras displayed arrogance/pretence, Devas committed to giving, and great sages committed to restraint—showing divergent moral outcomes from the same context.