Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

जानामि त्वामहं वायो सर्वप्राणभूतां वरम्‌ वरिष्ठ च गरिष्ठं च क्रोधे वैवस्वतं यथा

Transliteration

jānāmi tvām ahaṃ vāyo sarva-prāṇa-bhūtānāṃ varam | variṣṭhaṃ ca gariṣṭhaṃ ca krodhe vaivasvataṃ yathā ||

Translation

Nārada sprach: „O Vāyu, ich kenne dich wohl. Unter allen Wesen, die vom Atem leben, bist du der Vordere—der Höchste, der Gewichtigste an Macht und Würde; und wenn dich Zorn ergreift, bist du wie Vaivasvata Yama, unerbittlich in deiner Kraft.“

Word by Word

• जानामि: I know
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (जानाति)
• Form: Present (Lat), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• वायो: O Vayu (Wind)
• वायो: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सर्व: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: —, —, —

• प्राण: living being / life-breath
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, —, —

• भूतानाम्: of beings
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• वरम्: the best, excellent
• वरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वरिष्ठम्: the most excellent
• वरिष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरिष्ठ (superlative of वृ/वर)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• गरिष्ठम्: the most weighty/most venerable
• गरिष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गरिष्ठ (superlative of गुरु)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• क्रोधे: in anger
• क्रोधे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वैवस्वतम्: Vaivasvata (Yama)
• वैवस्वतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैवस्वत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यथा: as, like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Vāyu (Pavana, Wind-god)
• Vaivasvata Yama

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Great power and eminence (like Vāyu’s life-sustaining force) carry moral weight: when such power turns to anger it becomes punitive and unstoppable like Yama. The verse implicitly urges restraint and responsible use of strength.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada addresses Vāyu directly, acknowledging his supreme status among all living beings and warning—through a vivid comparison—that his anger can be as fearsome and decisive as Vaivasvata Yama’s.