Shloka 13

Devanagari script

अथ संत्वरमाणस्य रथमेवं युयुक्षत: । अक्षरं गन्तुमनसो विधि वक्ष्यामि शीघ्रगम्‌

Transliteration

atha saṁtvaramāṇasya ratham evaṁ yuyukṣataḥ | akṣaraṁ gantumanaso vidhiṁ vakṣyāmi śīghragam ||

Translation

Kini, bagi pencari yang bergegas menyiapkan kereta seperti ini dan yang pikirannya tertuju untuk mencapai Yang Tak-Binasā (Akṣara), akan segera kujelaskan tata cara yang benar—jalan cepat menuju tujuan itu.

Word by Word

अथthen/now

संत्वरमाणस्यof (one who is) hurrying

रथम्chariot

एवम्thus/in this manner

युयुक्षतःof (one who is) wishing to fight

अक्षरम्the imperishable (Brahman)/syllable

गन्तुम्to go/to attain

मनसःof the mind

विधिम्method/procedure

वक्ष्यामिI shall tell

शीघ्रगम्quick-going/leading quickly

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

ratha (chariot)

Akṣara (the Imperishable)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames liberation-oriented instruction as a disciplined ‘method’ (vidhi) for a seeker whose mind is fixed on the Akṣara (the Imperishable). It emphasizes urgency and readiness—spiritual progress is presented as something to be undertaken deliberately, with a clear procedure that leads swiftly toward the highest goal.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa begins a new segment of guidance: addressing a person who is ‘hastening’ and ‘preparing the chariot,’ he announces that he will explain a fast-acting method to reach the Imperishable. The chariot language signals preparation for a purposeful journey—here, a spiritual journey toward the ultimate reality.