Shloka 19

मृत्योर्ब्रह्मणा नियोजनम् — The Commissioning of Mṛtyu by Brahmā

Devanagari script

संगुप्तान्यात्मनो द्वाराण्यपिधाय विचिन्तयन्‌ । यो ह्यास्ते ब्राह्मण:शिष्ट: स आत्मरतिरुच्यते

Transliteration

saṃguptāny ātmano dvārāṇy apidhāya vicintayan | yo hy āste brāhmaṇaḥ śiṣṭaḥ sa ātmaratir ucyate ||

Translation

若人严护自家诸根之门，四面闭塞，而恒常思惟梵者，此人乃端正持戒之婆罗门，名为“自乐者”（ātmarati）。

Word by Word

• संगुप्तानि: well-guarded, secured
• संगुप्तानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संगुप्त (सम्+गुप्, कृदन्त-विशेषण)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• आत्मनः: of the self
• आत्मनः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• द्वाराणि: doors, gateways (sense-doors)
• द्वाराणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• अपिधाय: having closed/shut
• अपिधाय: Kriya (Purvakala)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अपि+धा (धातु: धा)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• विचिन्तयन्: reflecting, contemplating
• विचिन्तयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+चिन्त्
• Form: Present participle (Parasmaipada), Singular, Masculine, Nominative

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• आस्ते: sits/remains
• आस्ते: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस्
• Form: Present, 3, Singular, Atmanepada

• ब्राह्मणः: a brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शिष्टः: disciplined, well-conducted, learned
• शिष्टः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिष्ट (शास्-धातु, कृदन्त/विशेषण)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आत्मरतिः: one whose delight is in the self (self-contented)
• आत्मरतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मरति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Present, 3, Singular, Passive

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• brāhmaṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True excellence is defined by inner mastery: one who guards and restrains the senses and abides in steady contemplation is called ātmarati—content in the Self rather than dependent on external pleasures.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa characterizes the ideal disciplined person: by metaphorically shutting the ‘gates’ of the senses and turning attention inward, the exemplary brāhmaṇa remains in contemplation and is praised as self-delighting (ātmarati).