Mahabharata — Ashvamedhika Parva, Shloka 6

Mind as Charioteer; Kṣetrajña, Tapas, and Dhyāna-Yoga

Adhyātma-Upadeśa

Devanagari script

कुर्वते ये तु कर्माणि श्रद्दधाना विपश्चित: । अनाशीर्योगसंयुक्तास्ते धीरा: साधुदर्शिन:

Transliteration

kurvate ye tu karmāṇi śraddadhānā vipaścitaḥ | anāśīr-yogasaṁyuktās te dhīrāḥ sādhudarśinaḥ ||

Translation

वायु ने कहा—जो विद्वान श्रद्धा सहित कर्तव्य-कर्म करते हैं, योग में संयमित रहते हैं और फल-आकांक्षा से रहित हैं—वे धीर और उत्तम दृष्टिवाले माने जाते हैं।

Word by Word

• कुर्वते: they do/perform
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथम, बहुवचन

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• कर्माणि: actions, duties
• कर्माणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• श्रद्दधाना: having faith, faithful
• श्रद्दधाना: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रद्दधान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; धातु: धा/धा(धारणे) with श्रद्धा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• विपश्चितः: wise, discerning
• विपश्चितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपश्चित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• अनाशीः: without desire for reward, desireless
• अनाशीः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनाशीः (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-पूर्वक 'आशीस्' = आशा/आशीर्वाद/फल-आशा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• योगसंयुक्ताः: joined with yoga, disciplined
• योगसंयुक्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योगसंयुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; धातु: युज्/युज्(संयोगे) with सम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ते: they, those
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• धीराः: steadfast, wise
• धीराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• साधुदर्शिनः: seeing the good/right, of noble vision
• साधुदर्शिनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साधुदर्शिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva (Wind-god)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Perform one’s rightful duties with faith and discernment, while remaining unattached to the fruits; such disciplined non-craving action is the mark of a steady and noble-minded person.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is speaking, characterizing the qualities of the truly wise: they act responsibly and sincerely, yet do not cling to outcomes, and are therefore praised as composed and right-seeing.