Shloka 23

Adhyāya 177: Pañca-mahābhūta-vicāra and Vṛkṣa-jīva-lakṣaṇa

Five Elements Inquiry and the Status of Plant Life

Devanagari script

इत्येतद्धास्तिनपुरे ब्राह्मणेनोपवर्णितम्‌ । शम्पाकेन पुरा महां तस्मात्‌ त्याग: परो मत:

Transliteration

ity etad hāstinapure brāhmaṇenopavarṇitam | śampākena purā mahān tasmāt tyāgaḥ paro mataḥ ||

Translation

因此，古时在象城（哈斯提那补罗），大婆罗门商帕迦曾向我陈说舍离之荣耀。故而，舍（tyāga）被认为是至高之善。

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• एतत्: this (matter/statement)
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: neuter, nominative/accusative, singular

• हास्तिनपुरे: in Hastinapura
• हास्तिनपुरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हास्तिनपुर
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• ब्राह्मणेन: by a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• उपवर्णितम्: described / narrated
• Type: Verb
• Root: उपवर्णय्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), neuter, nominative/accusative, singular, passive (participial)

• शम्पाकेन: by (the Brahmin) Śampāka
• शम्पाकेन: Karana
• Type: Proper Noun
• Root: शम्पाक
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• पुरा: formerly / in olden times
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

• महा: great (one)
• महा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• तस्मात्: therefore / from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, ablative, singular

• त्यागः: renunciation / giving up
• त्यागः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्याग
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• परः: supreme / highest
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• मतः: is considered / is held to be
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), masculine, nominative, singular, passive (participial)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Śampāka (brāhmaṇa)
• Hastināpura

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse affirms that tyāga—renunciation or relinquishment of attachment and possessiveness—is the highest ethical ideal, presented as an authoritative conclusion drawn from earlier instruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma recalls an earlier occasion in Hastināpura when the Brahmin Śampāka expounded to him the greatness of renunciation; Bhīṣma then uses that remembered teaching to conclude that tyāga is supreme.