Shloka 5

Devanagari script

मूठढश्वाकृतबुद्धिश्व इन्द्रियाणामनी श्वर: । कामानुसारी कृत्येषु सर्वेष्वकृतनिश्चय:,“उसमें विवेकका सर्वथा अभाव है, उसकी बुद्धि किसी एक निश्चयपर नहीं रहती तथा वह अपनी इन्द्रियोंको काबूमें रखनेमें असमर्थ है। वह अपनी इच्छाओंका अनुसरण करनेवाला तथा सभी कार्योंमें अनिश्चित विचार रखनेवाला है

Transliteration

mūḍhaś cākṛtabuddhiś ca indriyāṇām anīśvaraḥ | kāmānusārī kṛtyeṣu sarveṣv akṛtaniścayaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “He is deluded and lacks true discernment; he has no mastery over his senses. Driven by desire, he follows his cravings, and in every undertaking he remains without firm resolve.”

Word by Word

मूढःdeluded, foolish

अश्वाकृतबुद्धिःone whose intellect is like that of a horse (unsteady/impetuous)

चand

इन्द्रियाणाम्of the senses

अनीश्वरःnot master (unable to control)

कामानुसारीfollowing desires

कृत्येषुin actions/duties

सर्वेषुin all

अकृतनिश्चयःone whose decision is not made; irresolute

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A person who cannot restrain the senses and is led by desire becomes mentally unstable—unable to form steady judgment or firm resolve. Ethical action (dharma) requires indriya-nigraha (sense-restraint) and niścaya (decisive clarity).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing a certain person’s flawed disposition: delusion, lack of discernment, inability to control the senses, and habitual pursuit of desires, resulting in indecision in all actions. The verse functions as a moral-psychological characterization within the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations.