Shloka 23
धर्मद्वारबहुत्वविमर्शः — Reflection on the Many ‘Doors’ of Dharma (Śānti-parva 342)
Devanagari script
अहमात्मा हि लोकानां विश्वेषां पाण्डुनन्दन
Transliteration
aham ātmā hi lokānāṁ viśveṣāṁ pāṇḍunandana
Translation
اے پاندو نندن! تمام جہانوں کے سب جانداروں کی حقیقی آتما میں ہی ہوں۔
Word by Word
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद्
Form—, प्रथमा, एकवचन
आत्माself, soul
आत्मा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन्
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
हिindeed, for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
लोकानाम्of the worlds / of beings
लोकानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootलोक
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन
विश्वेषाम्of all
विश्वेषाम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootविश्व
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन
पाण्डुनन्दनO son of Pandu
पाण्डुनन्दन:
TypeNoun
Rootपाण्डु-नन्दन
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन
Speaker
अर्जुन उवाच
Characters & Entities
P
PāṇḍuP
Pāṇḍunandana (Arjuna, by epithet)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts a universal, indwelling Self (ātmā) present in all worlds and beings, grounding ethics in spiritual unity: recognizing the same Self everywhere supports compassion, restraint, and impartial dharma.
In the didactic setting of Śānti Parva, a speaker addresses “Pāṇḍunandana” (Arjuna by epithet) and proclaims an identity with the universal Self, shifting the focus from personal agency to a cosmic, all-pervading spiritual principle.