Shloka 176

Satya-lakṣaṇa (The Characteristics and Forms of Truth) | सत्यलक्षणम्

Devanagari script

तस्मात्‌ त॑ वै नमस्यन्ति श्वसनं तरुसत्तमा: । चन्दन

Transliteration

tasmāt taṁ vai namasyanti śvasanaṁ tarusattamāḥ | candanaḥ syandanaḥ (tiniśaḥ) śālaḥ saralaḥ devadāruḥ vetasaḥ dhāmin tathā anye balavantaḥ taravaḥ | te jitātmānaḥ taravaḥ api kadācit evaṁ vāyu-devaṁ prati ākṣepaṁ na kṛtavantaḥ | durbuddhe! te api sva-balaṁ vāyoḥ balaṁ ca suṣṭhu jānanti; tasmāt te śreṣṭha-taravaḥ vāyu-devasya purataḥ mastakaṁ namayanti |

Translation

Vì thế, những cây cối ưu tú nhất đều cúi đầu kính lễ trước Thần Gió—hỡi bậc nhất trong loài cây. Gỗ đàn hương, syandana (tiniśa), śāla, sarala, deodāru, vetasa, dhāmin và bao cây mạnh mẽ khác—những cây tự chế ấy chưa từng, vào bất cứ lúc nào, buông lời buộc tội Thần Gió theo cách này. Hỡi kẻ trí hèn, chúng hiểu rõ sức mình và sức của Gió; bởi vậy, những cây cao quý ấy hạ đầu trước vị Thần của gió.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• नमस्यन्ति: they bow/salute
• Type: Verb
• Root: नमस् (नमस्यति)
• Form: Present, Indicative, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• श्वसनम्: the Wind (breath/wind)
• श्वसनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वसन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तरु-सत्तमाः: the best of trees
• तरु-सत्तमाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तरुसत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Vāyu (Wind-god)
• candana (sandalwood tree)
• syandana/tiniśa (tree)
• śāla (tree)
• sarala (tree)
• devadāru (deodar cedar)
• vetasa (reed/willow-like tree)
• dhāmin (tree)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the strongest should practice discernment and humility: knowing one’s limits and acknowledging a superior force (here, Vāyu) is wiser than blaming or reproaching. Self-mastery expresses itself as respectful restraint rather than proud complaint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada points to renowned, powerful trees—sandalwood and others—as examples. Though they are strong, they do not accuse the Wind-god; understanding both their own power and Vāyu’s greater power, they bow their heads before him. The comparison rebukes an arrogant attitude and urges respectful submission to rightful superiority.