Shloka 15

Adhyāya 283: Varṇa-vṛtti, Nyāya-ārjana, and the Decline-and-Restoration of Dharma (वर्णवृत्तिः न्यायार्जनं च)

Devanagari script

नारद च महात्मानं तस्या देव्या: समीपत: । संतोष॑ं परम लेभे इति निश्चित्य योगवित्‌

Transliteration

nārada ca mahātmānaṃ tasyā devyāḥ samīpataḥ | santoṣaṃ paramaṃ lebhe iti niścitya yogavit ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说：那罗陀，通晓瑜伽者，既已确认那位大心者在彼女神面前得至无上满足，便对此深信不疑。

Word by Word

• नारदः: Narada
• नारदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• महात्मानम्: the great-souled one
• महात्मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तस्याः: of her
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• देव्याः: of the goddess/lady
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• समीपतः: near, in the vicinity of
• समीपतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समीप

• संतोषम्: contentment
• संतोषम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संतोष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परम्: supreme, highest
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• लेभे: obtained, attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Ātmanepada

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• निश्चित्य: having ascertained, having decided
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + चि
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada/Ātmanepada-neutral

• योगवित्: knower of yoga
• योगवित्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगविद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Nārada
• devī (goddess)
• mahātmā (great-souled person)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights santoṣa (contentment) as a supreme attainment, recognizable through yogic discernment. Ethical steadiness and inner fulfillment are presented as higher markers of spiritual success than external achievements.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates that Nārada, observing from near the goddess, determines that the great-souled person has reached the highest contentment; as a yogavit, he confirms this state with certainty.