Shloka 16

Adhyāya 26 — Ekākṣara-Brahman (“Om”) and the Hṛdayastha Guru

Inner Teacher

Devanagari script

अपेतव्रतकर्मा तु केवल ब्रह्मणि स्थित: । ब्रह्मभूतश्चरल्लॉंके ब्रह्मबचारी भवत्ययम्‌

Transliteration

apetavratakarmā tu kevalaṁ brahmaṇi sthitaḥ | brahmabhūtaś caralloke brahmacārī bhavaty ayam ||

Translation

婆罗门说道：“凡舍弃外在誓戒与仪式之行，而唯住于梵（Brahman）者——即使行走世间，亦与梵合一、成梵之体——唯此人方是真正最上之梵行者（brahmacārin）。梵行清净之要，不在徒守形式，而在于心恒安立于至上实相。”

Word by Word

• अपेत: having abandoned, departed from
• अपेत: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपि-इ (धातु) → अपेत (क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• व्रत: vows, observances
• व्रत: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• कर्म: ritual acts, actions
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• तु: but, however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• केवलम्: only, solely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल

• ब्रह्मणि: in Brahman
• ब्रह्मणि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• स्थितः: abiding, established
• स्थितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रह्मभूतः: become Brahman, Brahman-natured
• ब्रह्मभूतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मभूत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चरन्: moving about, wandering
• चरन्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर् (धातु) → चरन् (शतृ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• ब्रह्मचारी: brahmacārin, one who practices Brahman-discipline
• ब्रह्मचारी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भवति: is, becomes
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अयम्: this (person)
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्राह्मण (speaker)
• ब्रह्म (Brahman)
• लोक (the world)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse redefines brahmacarya as inner realization: the highest ‘brahmacārin’ is one who, having gone beyond dependence on external vows and ritual performances, remains established in Brahman and lives in the world from that realized state.

What is happening in the narrative?

A brāhmaṇa speaker is instructing the listener by giving a criterion for true spiritual discipline: not mere outward observance, but abiding in Brahman while continuing to move and act within worldly life.