Shloka 8

Prahlāda–Indra Saṃvāda: Kartṛtva (Agency) and Svabhāva (Nature) in the Causation of Karma

Devanagari script

तस्मात्‌ समाहित बुद्धया मनो भूतेषु धारयेत्‌ । नापध्यायेन्न स्पृहयेन्नाबद्धं चिन्तयेदसत्‌

Transliteration

tasmāt samāhita-buddhyā mano bhūteṣu dhārayet | nāpadhyāyen na spṛhayen nābaddhaṁ cintayed asat ||

Translation

因此，当以摄持而坚定的慧解，使心安住于一切众生而不失从容；不作害人的思量，不起贪求之念，也不令其逐逐于虚妄无根之境。

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• समाहित: collected, composed
• समाहित: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (क्त)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• बुद्धया: with (one's) intellect
• बुद्धया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भूतेषु: in beings/among creatures
• भूतेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• धारयेत्: should hold/fix (it)
• धारयेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अपध्यायेत्: should not meditate wrongly/should not brood (ill)
• अपध्यायेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-ध्यै
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• न: nor/not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• स्पृहयेत्: should not desire/long for
• स्पृहयेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृह्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• न: nor/not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अबद्धम्: unconnected, ungrounded
• अबद्धम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-बद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• चिन्तयेत्: should not think/ponder
• चिन्तयेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• असत्: the unreal/false (thing)
• असत्: Karma
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: असत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Cultivate a steady, collected intellect and discipline the mind: keep it settled with regard to beings, avoid harmful brooding, avoid craving, and do not chase unreal or unfounded thoughts.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and the means to peace after the war; here he emphasizes inner governance—mental restraint and clarity—as essential to ethical living.