Shloka 18

Aśoka-śāstra: Nārada’s Instruction on the Cessation of Śoka

Grief

Devanagari script

निशि चाहनि चात्मानं योजयेत्‌ परमात्मनि । प्रतीक्षमाणस्तत्कालं यत्कालं प्रेतता भवेत्‌

Transliteration

niśi cāhani cātmānaṃ yojayet paramātmani | pratīkṣamāṇas tat-kālaṃ yat-kālaṃ pretatā bhavet ||

Translation

Yājñavalkya nói: “Đêm cũng như ngày, hãy buộc cái ngã vào Đấng Tối Thượng. Khi đã hiểu những dấu hiệu báo tử, người tu hành có kỷ luật, làm chủ tâm ý, nên an trú trong sự chiêm niệm Đấng Tối Cao và điềm nhiên chờ đúng thời khắc ấy, khi trạng thái ra đi (cái chết) sẽ xảy đến.”

Word by Word

• निशि: at night
• निशि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

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

• अहनि: in the day
• अहनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

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

• आत्मानम्: oneself (the mind/self)
• आत्मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• योजयेत्: should yoke/attach (should concentrate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• परमात्मनि: in the Supreme Self
• परमात्मनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• प्रतीक्षमाणः: waiting/expecting
• प्रतीक्षमाणः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-ईक्ष्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कालम्: time
• कालम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यत्: which
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कालम्: time
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रेतता: the state of being dead (death)
• प्रेतता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेतता
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• भवेत्: would be / should occur
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yājñavalkya
• Paramātman

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Continuous inner discipline: keep the mind yoked to the Supreme Self at all times, and cultivate death-awareness so that the final moment is met with steady contemplation rather than fear or distraction.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on liberation-oriented conduct, Yājñavalkya advises a seeker to practice uninterrupted meditation and, recognizing death’s forewarning signs, to remain composed and prepared for the inevitable transition.