Shloka 273

Adhyāya 262: Śabda-brahman, Para-brahman, and the Ethics of Tyāga

Kapila–Syūmaraśmi Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

परिनिछितकर्माण: प्रजानुग्रहकाम्यया । ज्ञानी ब्राह्मणोंने अपनेको ही यज्ञका उपकरण मानकर मानसिक यज्ञका अनुष्ठान किया है। उन्होंने प्रजाहितकी कामनासे ही मानसिक यज्ञका अनुष्ठान किया है

Transliteration

pariniścita-karmāṇaḥ prajā-anugraha-kāmyayā | jñānī brāhmaṇaḥ ātmānam eva yajñasya upakaraṇaṃ matvā mānasa-yajñasya anuṣṭhānaṃ kṛtavān | sa prajā-hita-kāmanayā eva mānasa-yajñasya anuṣṭhānaṃ kṛtavān |

Translation

丘拉达罗说：“其行已定，且为怜悯众生而起，智者婆罗门在心中行祭。以自身为祭之器具，他唯以增益民众福祉之愿，完成此内在之仪。”

Word by Word

• परिनिश्चितकर्माणः: those whose actions are well-determined/fully ascertained
• परिनिश्चितकर्माणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-निश्चित-कर्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रजा-अनुग्रह-काम्यया: by/with the desire to show favor to the people
• प्रजा-अनुग्रह-काम्यया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा-अनुग्रह-काम्य
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

चुलाधार उवाच

Characters & Entities

• चुलाधार (Chulādhāra)
• ब्राह्मण (a wise brāhmaṇa)
• यज्ञ (yajña)
• आत्मा (self)
• प्रजा (people/creatures)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True sacrifice can be internal: a wise person treats the self as the instrument of worship and performs a ‘mental yajña’ motivated not by display or gain, but by compassion and the welfare of all beings.

What is happening in the narrative?

Chulādhāra describes a spiritually wise brāhmaṇa who, with firm resolve, performs an inward (mental) sacrifice. The emphasis is on intention—undertaking disciplined inner practice specifically for the benefit of the people/creatures.