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Shloka 33

अव्यक्त–प्रकृति–इन्द्रियविचारः

The Unmanifest, Prakṛtis, and the Sense-Complex

यथा भावावसन्ना हि नौर्महाम्भसि तन्‍्तुना । तथा मनोभियोगाद्‌ वै शरीरं प्रचिकीर्षति,जैसे गम्भीर जलमें पड़ी हुई नौका नाविकद्वारा रस्सीसे खींची जानेपर उसके मनोभावके अधीन होकर चलती है, उसी प्रकार यह जीव इस शरीररूपी नौकाको अपने मनके अभिप्रायानुसार चलाना चाहता है

yathā bhāvāvasannā hi naur mahāmbhasi tantunā | tathā manobhiyogād vai śarīraṃ pracikīrṣati ||

Dijo Parāśara: «Así como una barca hundida en aguas profundas es arrastrada por una cuerda y se mueve conforme a la intención del barquero, así también el ser encarnado procura dirigir este cuerpo—como una barca—según los impulsos y la resolución de la mente».

यथाjust as
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
भाव-अवसन्नाsunk/overwhelmed by (its) state/condition
भाव-अवसन्ना:
TypeAdjective
Rootभावावसन्न
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
नौःboat
नौः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनौ
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
महा-अम्भसिin deep/great water
महा-अम्भसि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootमहा-अम्भस्
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
तन्तुनाby a rope/cord
तन्तुना:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootतन्तु
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
तथाso/in the same way
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
मनः-अभियोगात्from/owing to the mind's impulse/urge
मनः-अभियोगात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootमनः-अभियोग
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
वैindeed/assuredly
वै:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै
शरीरम्body
शरीरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootशरीर
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
प्रचिकीर्षतिwishes/intends to do/act (upon)
प्रचिकीर्षति:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-चिकीर्ष् (कृ)
FormPresent, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

पराशर उवाच

P
Parāśara
B
boat (nauḥ)
R
rope/cord (tantu)
G
great waters/deep sea (mahāmbhas)

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches that the body functions like a vessel moved by the directing force of the mind: intention and mental impulse steer embodied action, so ethical discipline requires mastery and right orientation of the mind.

Parāśara explains a philosophical point using a vivid simile: as a boat in deep water is pulled and guided by a rope according to the boatman’s will, the jīva attempts to move and employ the body according to the mind’s purposes.