Shloka 7

Adhyāya 222 — ब्रह्मस्थानप्राप्ति: मोक्षधर्मे समत्वव्रतम्

Attaining the Brahman-Station: The Vow of Equanimity in Mokṣadharma

Devanagari script

आत्मनि श्रेयसि ज्ञाने धीरं निश्चितनिश्चयम्‌ । परावरज्ञं भूतानां सर्वज्ञं समदर्शनम्‌

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca |

ātmani śreyasi jñāne dhīraṃ niścita-niścayam |

parāvara-jñaṃ bhūtānāṃ sarvajñaṃ sama-darśanam ||

Translation

毗湿摩说：“他坚忍不移，决断已定，安住于自我之知——那是至上的善。他通达高与下的实相，明了众生的起源与终尽，在义理上近乎全知，并以平等之见观照一切。”

Word by Word

• आत्मनि: in the Self
• आत्मनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• श्रेयसि: in the highest good
• श्रेयसि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• ज्ञाने: in knowledge
• ज्ञाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• धीरम्: steadfast, wise (one)
• धीरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• निश्चित: ascertained, settled
• निश्चित: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निश्चित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• निश्चयम्: conviction, determination
• निश्चयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परावरज्ञम्: knower of higher and lower (realities)
• परावरज्ञम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परावरज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भूतानाम्: of beings
• भूतानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• सर्वज्ञम्: all-knowing
• सर्वज्ञम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समदर्शनम्: of equal vision
• समदर्शनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समदर्शन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (Bhīṣma)
• Prahlada (Prahlāda) (contextual in the provided passage)
• Indra (contextual in the provided passage)
• Narayana (Nārāyaṇa) (contextual in the provided passage)
• Hari (Śrī Hari) (contextual in the provided passage)
• Hiranyakashipu (Hiraṇyakaśipu) (contextual in the provided passage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse praises the ideal of a realized person: firmly established in Self-knowledge (the true good), possessing settled conviction, understanding both higher and lower realities, and maintaining equal vision toward all beings—an ethical-spiritual maturity marked by steadiness and impartiality.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is describing the exalted spiritual state of Prahlada (as expanded in the surrounding prose): detached from sense-objects, free from pride, self-controlled, dwelling in solitude, and absorbed in meditation on the Supreme; this sets the stage for Indra approaching him to understand his mind and intention.