Shloka 4

कālacakra-वर्णनम् तथा āśrama-धarma-निरूपणम्

The Wheel of Time and the Norms of the Āśramas

Devanagari script

छायातपविलेखं च निमेषोन्मेषविद्धलम्‌ | घोरमोहजलाकीर्ण वर्तमानमचेतनम्‌

Transliteration

chāyātapavilekhaṃ ca nimeṣonmeṣaviddhalam | ghoramohajalākīrṇaṃ vartamānam acetanam ||

Translation

Vāyu-deva dijo: «Esta existencia mundana está marcada por la alternancia de sombra y ardor, golpeada por el incesante parpadeo del tiempo, anegada por las aguas de una terrible ilusión, y avanza sin verdadera conciencia.»

Word by Word

• छाया: shade
• छाया: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: छाया
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आतप: sun-heat
• आतप: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आतप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विलेखम्: scratching; scoring; marking
• विलेखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विलेख
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• निमेष: closing of the eyes; wink
• निमेष: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमेष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उन्मेष: opening of the eyes
• उन्मेष: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उन्मेष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विद्धलम्: pierced; afflicted; disturbed
• विद्धलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्धल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• घोर: terrible
• घोर: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• मोह: delusion
• मोह: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• जल: water
• जल: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• आकीर्णम्: filled; flooded; strewn over
• आकीर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-कीर्ण (कॄ/कीर् धातु से क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वर्तमानम्: existing; present; going on
• वर्तमानम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्तमान (वृत् धातु से शतृ)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अचेतनम्: unconscious; insentient
• अचेतनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचेतन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu-deva

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Worldly life is portrayed as unstable and mentally clouding: alternating comforts and hardships, driven by fleeting moments, and overwhelmed by delusion. The ethical implication is to cultivate discernment (viveka) and not be carried away by changing conditions.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu-deva is speaking in a reflective, admonitory tone, using vivid metaphors (shade/heat, blinking moments, flood of delusion) to characterize the condition of beings who continue through life without awakened awareness.