Shloka 126

Adhyāya 199: Karma–Jñāna Causality and the Nirguṇa Brahman

Manu’s Instruction

Devanagari script

अथ नेच्छति रागात्मा सर्व तदधितिष्ठति । यच्च प्रार्थयते तच्च मनसा प्रतिपद्यते

Transliteration

atha necchati rāgātmā sarva tad adhitiṣṭhati | yac ca prārthayate tac ca manasā pratipadyate ||

Translation

Virūpa nói: Nếu một người có bản tính bên trong nhuốm màu ái luyến mà không muốn đạt đến Brahman vô tướng (nirguṇa-brahman), thì người ấy sẽ trở thành bậc chủ trì các cõi trời do công đức tạo nên; và bất cứ vật gì người ấy cầu mong, đều lập tức đạt được nhờ sức mạnh của tâm.

Word by Word

• अथ: then/now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• इच्छति: desires/wishes
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्
• Form: Lat, present indicative, 3, singular, Parasmaipada

• रागात्मा: one whose nature is attachment
• रागात्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रागात्मन्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• सर्वम्: all (everything)
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• अधितिष्ठति: presides over/rules
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-स्था
• Form: Lat, present indicative, 3, singular, Parasmaipada

• यत्: whatever/which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• प्रार्थयते: asks for/requests
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-अर्थ्
• Form: Lat, present indicative, 3, singular, Atmanepada

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• च: also/and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• मनसा: by the mind
• मनसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• प्रतिपद्यते: attains/obtains
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-पद्
• Form: Lat, present indicative, 3, singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

विरूप उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Virūpa
• nirguṇa Brahman
• puṇya-lokas (meritorious/heavenly worlds)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Attachment (rāga) determines the direction of spiritual striving: if one does not seek nirguṇa-brahman (liberation), the fruits of merit and mental power manifest as rulership over heavenly realms and swift fulfillment of desired objects—yet this remains within saṃsāra rather than mokṣa.

What is happening in the narrative?

Virūpa is explaining a conditional outcome of a seeker’s intention: a desire-driven person who turns away from the goal of attributeless Brahman instead gains exalted enjoyments—lordship over puṇya-lokas and immediate attainment of wished-for objects through the mind.