Shloka 46

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

Adhyātma-Upadeśa

Devanagari script

शुक्लं कृष्णं तथा रक्त नील॑ पीतारुणं तथा

Transliteration

śuklaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ tathā raktaṃ nīlaṃ pītāruṇaṃ tathā | vijñeyaṃ brāhmaṇair vṛddhair dharmajñaiḥ satyavādibhiḥ ||

Translation

Vāyu-deva bersabda: “Putih, hitam, dan merah; biru, kuning, dan jingga-tua (aruna) pula—pembedaan ini patut dipahami oleh para Brāhmaṇa lanjut usia yang berkata benar dan mengetahui dharma.”

Word by Word

• शुक्लम्: white
• शुक्लम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कृष्णम्: black
• कृष्णम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तथा: and/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• रक्तम्: red
• रक्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• नीलम्: blue/dark-blue
• नीलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पीतारुणम्: yellow and tawny/reddish-brown
• पीतारुणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीतारुण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तथा: and/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• विज्ञेयम्: to be known/should be understood
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+ज्ञा
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular, तव्यत् (gerundive)

• ब्राह्मणैः: by Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• वृद्धैः: by elders/aged (ones)
• वृद्धैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• धर्मज्ञैः: by knowers of dharma
• धर्मज्ञैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सत्यवादिभिः: by truth-speakers
• सत्यवादिभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यवादिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu-deva
• Brāhmaṇas (elders)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True understanding of subtle distinctions (here, the color-forms of a radiant/fiery principle) is entrusted to disciplined authorities—elders who are both dharma-knowing and committed to truth—linking knowledge with ethical qualification.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu-deva is speaking and enumerates a set of color categories (white, black, red, blue, yellow, tawny), stating that such distinctions are to be recognized and taught by venerable, truthful Brāhmaṇas who know dharma.