Shloka 9

Devanagari script

कर्मोदये कर्मफलानुरागा- स्तत्रानुयान्ति न तरन्ति मृत्युम्‌ । सदर्थयोगानवगमात्‌ समन्तात्‌ प्रवर्तते भोगयोगेन देही,प्रारब्ध कर्मका उदय होनेपर कर्मके फलमें आसक्ति रखनेवाले लोग (देहत्यागके पश्चात) परलोकका अनुगमन करते हैं; इसीलिये वे मृत्युकी पार नहीं कर पाते। देहाभिमानी जीव परमात्मसाक्षात्कारके उपायको न जाननेसे विषयोंके उपभोगके कारण सब ओर (नाना प्रकारकी योनियोंमें) भटकता रहता है

Transliteration

karmodaye karmaphalānurāgās tatrānuyānti na taranti mṛtyum | sadarthayogān avagamāt samantāt pravartate bhogayogena dehī ||

Translation

サナツジャータは言う。現行の業が熟して果を結ぶとき、行為の果報に執着する者は、身を捨てたのち後世の道を追う。ゆえに彼らは死を越えられない。最高の善へ至る真の修行（真我の証得）をあらゆる面で悟らぬため、身体を我とみなす執着に縛られた有身の者は、感官の対象を享受するがままに流転し、さまざまな生の形をさまよい続ける。

Word by Word

कर्मोदयेat the arising of (prārabdha) karma

कर्मफलानुरागाःthose attached to the fruits of actions

तत्रthere; in that state/world

अनुयान्तिthey follow; they go after

नnot

तरन्तिthey cross over

मृत्युम्death

सदर्थयोगान्true means/paths (to the highest good)

अवगमात्from understanding; due to comprehension

समन्तात्on all sides; everywhere

प्रवर्ततेhe/it proceeds; is engaged; turns about

भोगयोगेनby the connection with enjoyment; through sense-enjoyment

देहीthe embodied one; the soul in a body

Speaker

सनत्युजात उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanatsujāta

mṛtyu (Death)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Attachment to the fruits of karma keeps a person within the cycle of death; only understanding and practicing the discipline aimed at the highest good (Self-realization) enables one to transcend mortality.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Sanatsujāta’s instruction (to Dhṛtarāṣṭra in this section), he explains why beings continue to wander after death: they are driven by matured karma and by craving for results and pleasures, lacking knowledge of the liberating path.