Shloka 14

Arjuna’s request to Krishna and the opening of the Kāśyapa–Brāhmaṇa mokṣa discourse (Āśvamedhika-parva 16)

Devanagari script

यथा तां बुद्धिमास्थाय गतिमग्रयां गमिष्यसि । शृणु धर्मभृतां श्रेष्ठ गदितं सर्वमेव मे,जिससे तुम उस समत्वबुद्धिका आश्रय लेकर उत्तम गति प्राप्त कर लोगे। धर्मात्माओंमें श्रेष्ठ अर्जुन! अब तुम मेरी सारी बातें ध्यान देकर सुनो

Transliteration

yathā tāṁ buddhim āsthāya gatim agrayāṁ gamiṣyasi | śṛṇu dharmabhṛtāṁ śreṣṭha gaditaṁ sarvam eva me ||

Translation

إذا احتميتَ بتلك البصيرة المتوازنة بلغتَ أسمى السبيل وأعلى الغاية. فاستمع بإمعان، يا خيرَ من يحملون الدَّرما: أَصْغِ إليَّ لكل ما أُعلِنُه لك.

Word by Word

यथाas, in such a way that

ताम्that (her/it)

बुद्धिम्understanding, intellect

आस्थायhaving resorted to

गतिम्course, state, destination

अग्रयाम्foremost, excellent

गमिष्यसिyou will go/attain

शृणुhear, listen

धर्मभृताम्of the upholders of dharma

श्रेष्ठO best

गदितम्said, spoken

सर्वम्all, the whole

एवindeed, just

मेof me, my

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyudeva (Wind-god)

Arjuna

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes that adopting a steady, balanced discernment (buddhi) is the means to reach the highest ‘gati’—the best path and ultimate attainment—and it frames the teaching as a dharmic instruction to be heard with full attention.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva addresses Arjuna directly, praising him as foremost among the righteous and preparing him for a fuller discourse: Arjuna is urged to listen carefully because the guidance being given is presented as the means to attain the highest goal.