Shloka 13
Sāttvika-vṛtta-kathana (Brahmā on the Conduct of Sattva) — Chapter 38
Devanagari script
विकुर्वन्त: प्रकृत्या वै दिवं प्राप्तास्ततस्तत:
Transliteration
vikurvantaḥ prakṛtyā vai divaṃ prāptās tataḥ tataḥ
Translation
Vāyu said: “Acting in accordance with their innate nature, they attained heaven—each in his own way and in due course.”
Word by Word
विकुर्वन्तःdoing/performing; acting (in various ways)
विकुर्वन्तः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवि + कृ (धातु) → विकुर्वत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formवर्तमान (शतृ), बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा
प्रकृत्याby (their) nature; naturally
प्रकृत्या:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootप्रकृति
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
वैindeed; surely
वै:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै
दिवम्heaven; the sky
दिवम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक: दिव)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
प्राप्ताःhaving reached; attained
प्राप्ताः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + आप् (धातु) → प्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formभूत (क्त), बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा
ततःthen; thereafter
ततः:
Apadana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
ततःagain/thereupon; repeatedly (in sequence)
ततः:
Apadana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
Speaker
वायुदेव उवाच
Characters & Entities
व
वायुदेव (Vāyu)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Cross References
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the Mahābhārata’s ethical idea that beings act according to their inherent disposition (prakṛti/svabhāva), and that their actions lead to corresponding outcomes—here expressed as attaining heaven in an ordered, fitting manner.
Vāyu is speaking and summarizing the consequence of certain beings’ conduct: by acting in line with their nature, they reached the heavenly realm, each following his own course ‘thereafter’ (tataḥ tataḥ).