Shloka 2

Mind as Charioteer; Kṣetrajña, Tapas, and Dhyāna-Yoga

Adhyātma-Upadeśa

Devanagari script

समस्तमिह तच्छुत्वा सम्यगेवावधार्यताम्‌ | अहिंसा सर्वभूतानामेतत्‌ कृत्यतमं मतम्‌

Transliteration

samastam iha tac chrutvā samyag evāvadhāryatām | ahiṃsā sarvabhūtānām etat kṛtyatamaṃ matam ||

Translation

既已在此听闻这一切，当当正确领会，牢牢记持：对一切众生行不害（阿希ṃ萨）被认为是最为迫切、最为首要的义务。

Word by Word

• समस्तम्: the whole (thing)
• समस्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्त (सम् + अस् + क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

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

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• सम्यक्: properly, correctly
• सम्यक्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक्

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

• अवधार्यताम्: let it be ascertained/understood
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + धृ (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Passive (कर्मणि), Third, Singular

• अहिंसा: non-violence
• अहिंसा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहिंसा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वभूतानाम्: of all beings
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वभूत
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• कृत्यतमम्: the most to-be-done; the highest duty
• कृत्यतमम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्यतम (कृत्य + तमप्)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मतम्: is considered; opinion
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत (मन् + क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that ahiṃsā—non-violence toward all beings—is the most imperative duty, and that ethical instruction must be properly understood and firmly internalized, not merely heard.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is delivering a didactic statement, urging the listener(s) to carefully comprehend the preceding teaching and concluding with a decisive ethical summary: ahiṃsā is paramount.