Shloka 23
भीमसेननादः तथा प्रथमसंमर्दः
Bhīmasena’s Roar and the First Clash
Devanagari script
उदासीनवदासीनोः गुणैयों न विचाल्यते । गुणा वर्तन्त इत्येव योडवतिष्ठति नेज़ते
Transliteration
udāsīnavad āsīno guṇair yo na vicālyate | guṇā vartanta ity eva yo 'vatiṣṭhati neṅgate ||
Translation
যে উদাসীনবৎ স্থিত থাকে, যাকে গুণসমূহ বিচলিত করতে পারে না, এবং ‘গুণই গুণের মধ্যে ক্রিয়া করে’—এই বোধে স্থির থেকে অচঞ্চল থাকে।
Word by Word
उदासीनवत्like one indifferent
उदासीनवत्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootउदासीन + वत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
आसीनःseated; abiding
आसीनः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootआस् (धातु) → आसीन (क्त)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
गुणैःby the qualities (gunas)
गुणैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootगुण
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
विचाल्यतेis shaken; is disturbed
विचाल्यते:
TypeVerb
Rootवि + चल्
FormPresent, Passive, Third, Singular
गुणाःthe qualities (gunas)
गुणाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootगुण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
वर्तन्तेoperate; proceed
वर्तन्ते:
TypeVerb
Rootवृत्
FormPresent, Atmanepada, Third, Plural
इतिthus
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
एवindeed; only
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
गुणेषुamong/in the qualities
गुणेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootगुण
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
अवतिष्ठतिstands firm; remains
अवतिष्ठति:
TypeVerb
Rootअव + स्था
FormPresent, Parasmaipada, Third, Singular
यःwho
यः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
इङ्गतेmoves; wavers
इङ्गते:
TypeVerb
Rootइङ्ग् (इङ्ग्/इङ्ग् चलने) / इङ्ग् (चलने)
FormPresent, Atmanepada, Third, Singular
Speaker
अजुन उवाच
Characters & Entities
A
ArjunaG
guṇas (sattva-rajas-tamas)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Stability comes from discerning that the changing forces of prakṛti (the guṇas) are what act and react; the wise person abides as a steady witness, not being inwardly shaken by those fluctuations.
In the midst of the Kurukṣetra teaching dialogue, Arjuna asks about the marks of one who has transcended the guṇas; this verse describes such a person’s unshakable, witness-like steadiness.