Shloka 53

Brahmā’s Instruction on Brahmacarya, Vānaprastha, and the Aliṅga Path

Ethics of Non-attachment

Devanagari script

तथैनमवमन्येरन्‌ परे सततमेव हि । यथावृत्तश्नरेच्छान्त: सतां धर्मानकुत्सयन्‌

Transliteration

tathainam avamanyeran pare satatam eva hi | yathāvṛttaśnarecchāntaḥ satāṃ dharmān akutsayan |

Translation

“如此一来，旁人必将不断轻蔑于他。然而，若有人安然自守，随顺事势之自然来去而知足，不讥毁善人所奉持的正道，则其心常定，超越此等讥评。”

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अवमन्येरन्: would disrespect / might slight
• Type: Verb
• Root: अवमन् (अव + मन्)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• परे: others, opponents/people
• परे: Karta
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सततम्: always, continually
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• हि: for, indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• यथा: as, just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• वृत्त: well-conducted, of good conduct
• वृत्त: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत्त (√वृत्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्नर: unclear/rare word (possibly corrupt reading)
• श्नर: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इच्छान्तः: desiring
• इच्छान्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इच्छत् (√इष्/इच्छ्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सताम्: of the good (people)
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• धर्मान्: duties, righteous principles
• धर्मान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अकुत्सयन्: did not censure / did not revile
• Type: Verb
• Root: कुत्सय् (कुत्स्) + अ-
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• pare (other people)
• satām (the virtuous/good people)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Cultivate contentment with what comes naturally and avoid criticizing the dharmic conduct of the virtuous; otherwise one invites continual contempt from others.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is advising about proper ethical disposition: a person should be moderate and accepting of circumstances, and should not fault the righteous standards upheld by good people, since social disdain follows from contrary behavior.