Shloka 21

ऋभु-निदाघ-संवादः — अधः-ऊर्ध्व-दृष्टान्तेन अद्वैतबोधः (राजा-गज-उपमा) तथा मोक्षफलश्रुति

Devanagari script

तथा त्वम् अपि धर्मज्ञ तुल्यात्मरिपुबान्धवः भव सर्वगतं जानन्न् आत्मानम् अवनीपते

Transliteration

tathā tvam api dharmajña tulyātmaripubāndhavaḥ bhava sarvagataṃ jānann ātmānam avanīpate

Translation

Hỡi bậc am tường dharma, hỡi chúa tể cõi đất, hãy giữ tâm bình đẳng với thù và bạn; biết Ātman là đấng thấm khắp, hãy an trụ vững trong tri kiến ấy.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• तथा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb): ‘तथैव/एवम्’

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle): समुच्चय/अपि = ‘also/even’

• धर्मज्ञ: O knower of dharma
• धर्मज्ञ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma + jña (प्रातिपदिक; ‘ज्ञ’ प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: धर्मं जानाति इति धर्मज्ञः

• तुल्यात्मरिपुबान्धवः: equal-minded toward self, enemies, and friends
• तुल्यात्मरिपुबान्धवः: Karta-anvayi Visheshana (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tulya + ātman + ripu + bāndhava (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष): आत्मा-रिपु-बान्धवेषु तुल्यः (समदर्शी)

• भव: be (become)
• भव: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वगतं: all-pervading
• सर्वगतं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva + gata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘गम्’ धातोः क्त (past participle) = गत; सर्वत्र गतः = सर्वगतः

• जानन्: knowing
• जानन्: Karta-sahakari (Concomitant participle/कर्तृसहकारी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘knowing’

• आत्मानम्: the Self
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अवनीपते: O lord of the earth (king)
• अवनीपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avanī + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: अवन्याः पतिः

Speaker

A senior preceptor/wise counselor addressing a king (as narrated within Parāśara’s discourse to Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

• King (Avanīpati)
• Self (Ātman)

FAQs

What is the significance of equanimity toward friend and enemy in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames royal dharma as inner steadiness: a king should not be driven by attachment or hatred, but rule with balanced judgment rooted in spiritual insight.

How does Parāśara’s teaching emphasize self-knowledge in governance?

By presenting the Self as all-pervading, the instruction makes self-knowledge the foundation for impartial action—turning kingship into a disciplined practice of dharma rather than personal preference.

What is the theological importance of the all-pervading Self in this context?

The all-pervading reality points to the supreme ground upheld in Vaiṣṇava thought—seeing the Self’s pervasion supports non-partisan conduct and aligns the ruler with cosmic order sustained by the Supreme.