Shloka 12

Teaching on Karma-yoga

Discipline of Action as Worship

Devanagari script

वसेदविकृतं वासः कार्पासं वा कषायकम् । तदेव परिधानीयं शुक्लं तांतवमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

vasedavikṛtaṃ vāsaḥ kārpāsaṃ vā kaṣāyakam | tadeva paridhānīyaṃ śuklaṃ tāṃtavamuttamam

Translation

Debe vestirse ropa sin adornos: de algodón o una sencilla prenda teñida de color kaṣāya. En verdad, ha de llevarse sólo excelente tela blanca, tejida de hilo.

Word by Word

• vaset: should wear/dwell (i.e., should wear)
• vaset: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vas (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), विधिलिङ्-अर्थे/आज्ञार्थे; परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• avikṛtam: unmodified, unaltered
• avikṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vikṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• vāsaḥ: garment, clothing
• vāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• kārpāsam: made of cotton
• kārpāsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārpāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: 'or')

• kaṣāyakam: ochre/dyed (ascetic-colored)
• kaṣāyakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kaṣāyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• eva: indeed, only
• eva: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• paridhānīyam: to be worn, should be worn
• paridhānīyam: Vidhi (विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-√dhā + anīya (कृदन्त)
• Form: अनिय (gerundive/भाव्य) प्रत्यय; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

• śuklam: white
• śuklam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śukla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

• tāṃtavam: woven (of threads), textile
• tāṃtavam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tāṃtava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

• uttamam: best, excellent
• uttamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual narrator/instructor within Svarga-khaṇḍa dialogue)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: vasedavikṛtam → vaset avikṛtam; tadeva → tat eva; tāṃtavamuttamam → tāṃtavam uttamam.

FAQs

What kind of clothing does this verse recommend?

It recommends simple, unadorned clothing—especially cotton or an ochre-dyed garment—emphasizing restraint and purity.

Why are cotton and ochre garments mentioned in dharma texts?

They commonly signify simplicity, cleanliness, and detachment; ochre especially is associated with renunciation and disciplined living.

What ethical lesson is implied by the instruction on clothing?

The verse promotes modesty and non-excess: external simplicity supports inner discipline and a sattvic (pure, calm) way of life.