Shloka 131

Devanagari script

ये चैव भावा वर्तन्ते सर्व एष्वेव ते त्रिषु । अन्वर्था: सम्प्रवर्तन्ते रथनेमिमरा इव

Transliteration

ye caiva bhāvā vartante sarva eṣveva te triṣu | anvarthāḥ sampravartante rathanemimarā iva ||

Translation

Vyāsa sprach: Welche Zustände und Bedingungen auch immer in der Welt entstehen—sie alle finden sich allein in diesen drei guṇas. Sie entfalten sich gemäß ihrer eigenen Bedeutung und Funktion und kreisen unaufhörlich wie der Felgenrand eines Wagenrades.

Word by Word

येwhich (those who/that which)

चand

एवindeed/just

भावाःstates/conditions/entities

वर्तन्तेexist/occur/are found

सर्वेall

एषुin these

एवindeed/only

तेthose

त्रिषुin the three

अन्वर्थाःcorresponding/true to their meaning

सम्प्रवर्तन्तेproceed/operate accordingly

रथनेमिमराःants (marāḥ) on a chariot-wheel rim

इवlike/as

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

three guṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas)

chariot-wheel rim (ratha-nemi)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

All experiences and dispositions are expressions of the three guṇas alone; they function according to their inherent nature and keep turning in a repetitive cycle, like a wheel—implying the need for discernment and detachment from fluctuating states.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on inner discipline and metaphysics, Vyāsa explains a framework for understanding worldly phenomena: everything that arises in life can be traced to the interplay of the three guṇas, which continually rotate and drive conduct and perception.