Shloka 9

Abhaya-Itihāsa: Karma, Indriyas, and the Non-sensory Brahman

Brāhmaṇī–Brāhmaṇa Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

रक्षोभिव॑ध्यमानेषु दृश्यद्रव्येषु वर्त्मसु । आत्मस्थमात्मना तेभ्यो दृष्टमायतनं मया

Transliteration

rakṣobhir vadhyamāneṣu dṛśyadravyeṣu vartmasu | ātmastham ātmanā tebhyo dṛṣṭam āyatanaṁ mayā ||

Translation

当依赖可见供物的祭仪之道被罗刹摧毁之时，我便转身离开；并以自身内在之我，得见那安住于内的真我之所居。

Word by Word

• रक्षोभिः: by/with the rakshasas (demons)
• रक्षोभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• वध्यमानेषु: while being destroyed/being slain
• वध्यमानेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वध्यमान (√वध्)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• दृश्य-द्रव्येषु: in visible substances/materials
• दृश्य-द्रव्येषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृश्य + द्रव्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• वर्त्मसु: in the paths/ways (of action)
• वर्त्मसु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्त्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• आत्मस्थम्: situated in the self
• आत्मस्थम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मस्थ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आत्मना: by the self
• आत्मना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• तेभ्यः: from them
• तेभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Plural

• दृष्टम्: seen/realized
• दृष्टम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृष्ट (√दृश्)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आयतनम्: abode/seat
• आयतनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयतन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• rākṣasas
• ātman (Self)
• dṛśya-dravya (visible ritual substances such as soma and ghee)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

External, material-dependent religious paths can be disrupted or corrupted; therefore one should cultivate the inward realization of the Self, which remains a stable refuge beyond external harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva describes a time when rākṣasas were ruining ritual practices that rely on visible offerings; withdrawing from those endangered external rites, he turns inward and realizes the inner abode of the Self.