Shloka 49

Devanagari script

श्रोत्रादीनि तु सर्वाणि पञ्चकर्मेन्द्रियाण्यथ । वागादीनि प्रवर्तन्ते गुणेष्विह गुणी: सह,इस जगतमें श्रोत्र आदि पाँच ज्ञानेन्द्रियाँ और वाक्‌ आदि पाँच कर्मन्द्रियाँ अपने-अपने गुणोंके साथ गुणमय शरीरोंमें स्थित हैं

Transliteration

śrotrādīni tu sarvāṇi pañcakarmendriyāṇy atha | vāgādīni pravartante guṇeṣv iha guṇī saha ||

Translation

ヴァシシュタは言った。「この世において、聴覚にはじまる一切の感官のはたらきも、また言語にはじまる五つの行為器官のはたらきも、それぞれの性質（グナ guṇa）に関わるかぎりでのみ起こる。具身の者は、それらの性質とともに、グナによって成り立つ身体を通して機能するのである。」

Word by Word

श्रोत्रादीनिthe ear etc. (sense-organs beginning with the ear)

तुbut/indeed

सर्वाणिall

पञ्चfive

कर्मेन्द्रियाणिorgans of action

अथthen/now/and further

वागादीनिspeech etc. (organs beginning with speech)

प्रवर्तन्तेoperate/act/function

गुणेषुin/among the qualities (guṇas)

इहhere/in this world

गुणीःthe possessors of qualities (embodied beings)

सहtogether with

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vasiṣṭha

śrotra (ear/hearing)

vāk (speech)

pañca karmendriyas (five organs of action)

guṇas

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 teaches that the senses and organs of action do not act independently; they function only in connection with their corresponding guṇas/qualities. Ethical discipline and liberation-oriented insight begin by recognizing this guṇa-driven mechanism and reducing identification with it.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s philosophical instruction, Vasiṣṭha explains the constitution and operation of embodied life: the sensory and active faculties arise and work within the field of guṇas, showing how the individual’s experience and conduct are conditioned by nature’s qualities.