Shloka 13

Adhyāya 222 — ब्रह्मस्थानप्राप्ति: मोक्षधर्मे समत्वव्रतम्

Attaining the Brahman-Station: The Vow of Equanimity in Mokṣadharma

Devanagari script

इति संचोदितस्तेन धीरो निश्चितनिश्चय: । उवाच श्लक्ष्णया वाचा स्वां प्रज्ञामनुवर्णयन्‌

Transliteration

iti saṃcoditas tena dhīro niścita-niścayaḥ | uvāca ślakṣṇayā vācā svāṃ prajñām anūvarṇayan ||

Translation

Được ông thúc giục như vậy, bậc hiền triết kiên định—đã an trú trong quyết định chắc chắn về thực tại tối thượng—liền cất lời êm dịu, trang nhã, thuật lại bản chất của sự hiểu biết nơi mình. Đáp lại câu hỏi của Indra, Prahlāda, với trí tuệ vững vàng và niềm xác tín về Đấng Tối Thượng, bắt đầu trình bày tri kiến của mình bằng lời nói chừng mực mà ngọt lành.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• संचोदितः: urged, prompted
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संचोदित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तेन: by him/thereby
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• धीरः: steadfast, wise
• धीरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निश्चित-निश्चयः: one of firm/settled resolve
• निश्चित-निश्चयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निश्चितनिश्चय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said, spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• श्लक्ष्णया: with gentle/smooth
• श्लक्ष्णया: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लक्ष्ण
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• वाचा: speech, words
• वाचा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• स्वाम्: his own
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रज्ञाम्: wisdom, understanding
• प्रज्ञाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रज्ञा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अनुवर्णयन्: describing, recounting
• अनुवर्णयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनुवर्णयत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Indra
• Prahlāda

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and spiritual ideal of speaking from settled inner certainty: true wisdom (prajñā) is expressed with composure (dhīra) and gentle speech (ślakṣṇā vāc), especially when explaining the highest truth.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra has questioned or prompted the speaker; in response, Prahlāda—described as resolute and certain about the Supreme reality—begins to speak, calmly and sweetly, explaining his understanding. Bhīṣma reports this within the Shānti Parva discourse.