Mahabharata — Ashvamedhika Parva, Shloka 51

Mind as Charioteer; Kṣetrajña, Tapas, and Dhyāna-Yoga

Adhyātma-Upadeśa

Devanagari script

विधिवद्‌ ब्राह्मणै: सिद्धेर्धर्मज्ैस्तत्त्वदर्शिभि:

Transliteration

vāyudeva uvāca | vidhivad brāhmaṇaiḥ siddhair dharmajñais tattvadarśibhiḥ spṛśo guṇā dvādaśa vidhā vāyoḥ vistaraḥ prakīrtitaḥ—rūkṣaḥ śītaḥ uṣṇaḥ snigdhaḥ viśadaḥ kaṭhinaḥ cikanaḥ ślakṣṇaḥ (laghuḥ) picchilaḥ kaṭhoraḥ komalaś ca |

Translation

ವಾಯುದೇವನು ಹೇಳಿದರು— ವಿಧಿಪೂರ್ವಕವಾಗಿ ಸಿದ್ಧ, ಧರ್ಮಜ್ಞ, ತತ್ತ್ವದರ್ಶಿ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣರು ವಾಯುವಿನ ಸ್ಪರ್ಶಗುಣಗಳ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ವ್ಯಾಪ್ತಿಯನ್ನು ವಿವರಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಅವು ದ್ವಾದಶ ವಿಧಗಳು: ರೂಕ್ಷ, ಶೀತ, ಉಷ್ಣ, ಸ್ನಿಗ್ಧ, ವಿಶದ, ಕಠಿಣ, ಚಿಕ್ಕಣ, ಶ್ಲಕ್ಷ್ಣ, ಪಿಚ್ಛಿಲ, ದಾರುಣ, ಕಠೋರ ಮತ್ತು ಕೋಮಲ.

Word by Word

• विधिवत्: according to rule, duly
• विधिवत्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत्
• Form: Avyaya

• ब्राह्मणैः: by Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सिद्धैः: by accomplished (ones)
• सिद्धैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• धर्मज्ञैः: by knowers of dharma
• धर्मज्ञैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तत्त्वदर्शिभिः: by seers of truth
• तत्त्वदर्शिभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत्त्वदर्शिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• Brahmins (brāhmaṇāḥ)
• Siddhas (siddhāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents a dharma-grounded, authoritative classification of tactile qualities (sparśa-guṇas) attributed to the element/deity Vāyu, emphasizing that reliable knowledge is transmitted “vidhivat” by siddha, dharma-knowing, truth-seeing Brahmins.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu-deva is speaking in a didactic mode, citing the learned tradition of accomplished Brahmins to enumerate and validate a systematic list of touch-qualities, as part of a broader philosophical explanation within the Ashvamedhika Parva.