Shloka 10

तमोगुण-निरूपण

Analysis of Tamas and its Marks

Devanagari script

प्रकाशं सर्वभूतेषु लाघवं श्रद्दधधानता । सात्त्विकं रूपमेवं तु लाघवं साधुसम्मितम्‌,सब भूतोंमें प्रकाश, लघुता (गर्वहीनता) और श्रद्धा--यह सत्तवगुणका रूप है। गर्वहीनताकी श्रेष्ठ पुरुषोंने प्रशंसा की है

Transliteration

prakāśaṁ sarvabhūteṣu lāghavaṁ śraddadhānatā | sāttvikaṁ rūpam evaṁ tu lāghavaṁ sādhusammitam ||

Translation

ヴァーユは言った。「あらゆる生きとし生けるもののうちに光を放つこと、謙虚さ（我執の軽さ）、そして揺るがぬ信—これこそがサットヴァの相である。そのような謙虚さは、徳ある者たちによって真の卓越のしるしとして認められている。」

Word by Word

प्रकाशम्illumination, clarity

सर्वभूतेषुin all beings

लाघवम्lightness; humility (absence of pride)

श्रद्दधधानताfaith; the state of having trust

सात्त्विकम्sattvic, pertaining to sattva

रूपम्form, nature

एवम्thus, in this way

तुbut; indeed

लाघवम्humility; lightness

साधुसम्मितम्approved/praised by the good (saints)

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

व

वायुदेव (Vāyudeva)

स

सर्वभूत (all beings)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse defines sattva through three ethical-spiritual markers: (1) prakāśa—clarity and beneficent illumination that extends toward all beings, (2) lāghava—humility or freedom from pride, and (3) śraddhā—steady faith. It especially elevates humility as a virtue praised by the wise.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is speaking and instructing the listener by characterizing the nature of sattva-guṇa. The statement functions as moral teaching within the Ashvamedhika Parva’s broader didactic setting, emphasizing inner qualities rather than external power.