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Shloka 38

अक्षरब्रह्मयोगः | Akṣara-Brahma-Yoga

The Yoga of the Imperishable Brahman

कच्चिन्नो भय वि भ्रष्टश्छिन्ना भ्रमिव नश्यति । अप्रतिष्ठो महाबाहो विमूढो ब्रह्मण: पथि

kaccin no bhaya-vibhraṣṭaś chinnā-bhram iva naśyati | apratiṣṭho mahābāho vimūḍho brahmaṇaḥ pathi ||

阿周那说道:“他岂不是因恐惧而堕落,像被撕裂的浮云般消散——无所依凭,噢大臂者,在梵之道上迷惘不知所归吗?”

कच्चित्whether? (interrogative particle)
कच्चित्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकच्चित्
नःof us / our
नः:
Sampradana
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
Form—, Genitive, Plural
भयात्from fear
भयात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootभय
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
विभ्रष्टःfallen away, deviated
विभ्रष्टः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootवि + भ्रष्ट (भ्रंश्)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
छिन्नःcut off, severed
छिन्नः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootछिन्न (छिद्)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
भ्रमिःa spinning top
भ्रमिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभ्रमि
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
इवlike, as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
नश्यतिperishes, is ruined
नश्यति:
TypeVerb
Rootनश्
FormPresent, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
अप्रतिष्ठःwithout support/standing, unstable
अप्रतिष्ठः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअ-प्रतिष्ठ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
महाबाहोO mighty-armed one
महाबाहो:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootमहाबाहु
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
विमूढःbewildered, deluded
विमूढः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootवि-मूढ (मुह्)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
ब्रह्मणःof Brahman / of sacred knowledge
ब्रह्मणः:
Sambandha
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन्
FormNeuter, Genitive, Singular
पथिon the path
पथि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootपथिन्
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular

अजुन उवाच

A
Arjuna
K
Kṛṣṇa
B
Brahman (brahma)
C
cloud (abhra)

Educational Q&A

The verse frames a moral-spiritual anxiety: if a seeker begins the discipline aimed at Brahman but becomes afraid and loses steadiness, does he end up ruined—unsupported and deluded? It highlights the ethical importance of courage, steadiness, and not abandoning the spiritual path midway.

Arjuna addresses Kṛṣṇa with a pointed doubt about the fate of one who undertakes the higher path (brahmaṇaḥ pathi) but then falters from fear and loses inner grounding. The imagery of a ‘severed cloud’ conveys drifting without support and the fear of spiritual failure.