Shloka 4
Adhyāya 26 — Ekākṣara-Brahman (“Om”) and the Hṛdayastha Guru
Inner Teacher
एक: श्रोता नास्ति ततो द्वितीयो यो हृच्छयस्तमहमनुब्रवीमि । तस्मिन् गुरौ गुरुवासं निरुष्य शक्रो गत: सर्वलोकामरत्वम्
ekaḥ śrotā nāsti tato dvitīyo yo hṛcchayas tam aham anubravīmi | tasmin gurau guruvāsaṃ nirūṣya śakro gataḥ sarvalokāmaratvam ||
“真正的聆听者唯有一位，别无第二位。那安住于心中的那一位——我承认祂为聆听者。释迦罗（因陀罗）以祂为师，以弟子之心完成住师之戒（gurukula-vāsa），遂得统御诸世界之权与不死之身。”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the ultimate ‘listener’ and true authority is the indwelling Lord in the heart. Real discipleship is not merely external study but faithful completion of discipline under this inner guide—acting with humility and integrity before the inner witness.
A Brahmin speaker explains that there is only one genuine hearer of instruction—the heart-dwelling divine. He cites Indra (Śakra) as an example: by treating that inner presence as his guru and fulfilling the rule of ‘guruvāsa’ (disciplined pupilhood), Indra attained universal sovereignty and immortality.