Shloka 146

The Thirteen Inner Adversaries (Trayodaśa Doṣāḥ): Origins and Pacification

Devanagari script

पश्यमानस्तदा55त्मानमसमं मातरिश्वना । उस समय सेमलने वायुके द्वारा जो कुछ किया जानेवाला था, उसपर मन-ही-मन विचार करके तथा अपने आपको वायुके समान बलवान्‌ न देखकर सोचा--

Transliteration

paśyamānas tadātmānam asamaṃ mātariśvanā |

Translation

Bhishma sprach: „Da sann er in seinem Innern darüber nach, was der Wind (Mātariśvan) im Begriff war zu vollbringen, und als er erkannte, dass er an Kraft jenem gewaltigen Wesen nicht ebenbürtig war, dachte er bei sich …“

Word by Word

• पश्यमानः: seeing, observing
• पश्यमानः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश्यत् (√दृश्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• तदा: then, at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• आत्मानम्: himself, the self
• आत्मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• असमम्: unequal, not matching (in strength)
• असमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असम (a-sam)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मातरिश्वना: by Mātariśvan (the Wind-god)
• मातरिश्वना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातरिश्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Mātariśvan (Vāyu)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights prudent self-knowledge: before acting, one should realistically assess one’s own capacity and the power of opposing forces, and let that assessment guide ethical decision-making rather than pride.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s narration, a figure anticipates an action to be carried out by the Wind (Mātariśvan/Vāyu). Observing that he is not equal to the Wind in strength, he deliberates internally and prepares to respond accordingly.