Shloka 23

अन्तर्वन-विद्यारण्योपमा

The Allegory of the Inner Forest of Knowledge

Devanagari script

शममप्यत्र शंसन्ति विद्यारण्यविदो जना: । तदारण्यमभिप्रेत्य यथाधीरभिजायत

Transliteration

śamam apy atra śaṃsanti vidyāraṇyavido janāḥ | tad āraṇyam abhipretya yathādhīr abhijāyate ||

Translation

在此，真正通达“知识之林”的人，也称赞“奢摩”（śama，调心制意）。为求进入那内在之林，当修习奢摩；由此，慧解得以安住而坚固。

Word by Word

• शमम्: self-control, tranquility
• शमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अत्र: here, in this context
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• शंसन्ति: praise, commend
• Type: Verb
• Root: शंस्
• Form: Present, Parasmaipada, Third, Plural

• विद्या-अरण्य-विदः: knowers of the 'forest of knowledge'
• विद्या-अरण्य-विदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या-अरण्य-विद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• अरण्यम्: forest
• अरण्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरण्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अभिप्रेत्य: having intended, aiming at
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-प्र-इ (प्रे)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (sense)

• यथा: so that, in such a way that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• धीः: intellect, understanding
• धीः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• अभिजायते: arises, is produced
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-जन्
• Form: Present, Atmanepada, Third, Singular

Speaker

ब्राह्मण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्राह्मण (speaker)
• विद्या (knowledge)
• आरण्य/अरण्य (forest, metaphorical)
• शम (mental restraint)
• धी (intellect)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that śama—mental restraint and inner calm—is essential for true knowledge. Those who understand the ‘forest of knowledge’ praise self-control because it stabilizes the intellect, making it capable of grasping the highest reality.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Brahmin speaker explains a spiritual principle using the metaphor of a forest: to ‘enter’ the forest of knowledge (the domain of Brahman-realization), one must cultivate śama, which gives steadiness and clarity to the mind and intellect.