Shloka 36

योग–सांख्यसमन्वयः, रथोपमा, व्यक्त–अव्यक्तविवेकः

Yoga–Sāṃkhya Synthesis, Chariot Allegory, and the Vyakta–Avyakta Distinction

Devanagari script

नित्य॑ पर्वसु सुस्नाता: स्वनुलिप्ता: स्वलंकृता: । उपवासतप:शीला: प्रतीता ब्रह्मवादिन:

Transliteration

nityaṁ parvasu susnātāḥ svanuliptāḥ sv-alaṅkṛtāḥ | upavāsa-tapaḥ-śīlāḥ pratītā brahmavādinaḥ ||

Translation

释迦罗（因陀罗）说道：“他们在一切神圣的节期常常沐浴洁净，涂抹香膏，端正佩饰。其人乐于斋戒与苦行，持守严整的戒律，并被公认为阐明梵（Brahman，真实灵性智慧）之义的说法者。”

Word by Word

• नित्यं: always, regularly
• नित्यं: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य
• Form: Avyaya (adverb)

• पर्वसु: on festival/holy days
• पर्वसु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• सुस्नाताः: well-bathed
• सुस्नाताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुस्नात
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्वनुलिप्ताः: smeared/anointed with their own (unguents)
• स्वनुलिप्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वनुलिप्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्वलङ्कृताः: adorned with their own ornaments
• स्वलङ्कृताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वलङ्कृत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• उपवासतपःशीलाः: having the habit of fasting and austerity
• उपवासतपःशीलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपवास-तपस्-शील
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रतीताः: contented, satisfied
• प्रतीताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतीत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ब्रह्मवादिनः: expounders of Brahman/Veda; brahminical speakers
• ब्रह्मवादिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मवादिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

शक्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Brahman

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True religious life is marked by disciplined conduct: purity and order in observances, restraint through fasting and austerity, and commitment to higher knowledge—being recognized as one who speaks and lives by Brahman (spiritual truth).

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra (Śakra) describes a group of exemplary practitioners, characterizing their regular sacred observances, personal cleanliness and adornment, ascetic practices like fasting, and their reputation as teachers of spiritual truth.