Shloka 13

Adhyāya 41 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Gurv-anumati and Strategic Counsel (युधिष्ठिरस्य गुर्वनुमतिः)

Devanagari script

इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत भीष्मपर्वके श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतापर्वके अन्तर्गत ब्रह्मविद्या एवं योगशास्त्ररूप श्रीमद्भगवद्‌गीतोपनिषद्‌ः श्रीकृष्णाजुनसंवादमें क्षेत्रक्षेत्रञविभागययोग नामक तेरहवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ,अप्रकाशो5प्रवृत्तिश्न॒ प्रमादो मोह एव च । तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन

Transliteration

aprakāśo 'pravṛttiś ca pramādo moha eva ca | tamasy etāni jāyante vivṛddhe kurunandana ||

Translation

Arjuna said: “When the quality of darkness (tamas) grows dominant, O joy of the Kurus, it gives rise to these signs: lack of clarity and illumination, unwillingness to act rightly, negligence, and delusion.”

Word by Word

• {'aprakāśaḥ': 'non-illumination

• absence of clarity or discernment', 'apravṛttiḥ': 'non-engagement

• inactivity or refusal to undertake proper action', 'ca': 'and', 'pramādaḥ': 'carelessness

• moral heedlessness', 'mohaḥ': 'delusion

• confused understanding', 'eva': 'indeed

• precisely', 'tamasī': 'in tamas

• in the mode of darkness (locative sense)', 'etāni': 'these (signs)', 'jāyante': 'are born

• arise', 'vivṛddhe': 'when increased

• when predominant', 'kurunandana': 'O delight of the Kurus (address to Arjuna)'}

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Kuru lineage (Kurunandana)
• tamas (guṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse identifies practical indicators of tamas becoming dominant: loss of inner light (discernment), avoidance of rightful effort, negligence, and delusion—warning that ethical failure often begins as mental obscurity and carelessness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Within the Gītā dialogue on the battlefield, the teaching turns to the three guṇas. Here the speaker describes how tamas manifests in a person’s conduct and awareness, so the listener can recognize and overcome it through disciplined, dharmic living.