Shloka 15

तमोगुण-निरूपण

Analysis of Tamas and its Marks

Devanagari script

अनार्जवमसंज्ञत्वं कर्म पापमचेतना । गुरुत्वं सन्नभावत्वमवशित्वमवाग्गति:

Transliteration

anārjavam asaṃjñatvaṃ karma pāpam acetanā | gurutvaṃ sannabhāvatvam avaśitvam avāggatiḥ ||

Translation

ବାୟୁ କହିଲେ—କୁଟିଳତା, ଅସଞ୍ଜ୍ଞତା, ଅଚେତନତାରୁ ଜନ୍ମିତ ପାପକର୍ମ, ମନର ଭାରତ୍ୱ, ବନ୍ଧନକାରୀ ‘ସନ୍ନଭାବ’ (ଅହଂକାରାସକ୍ତ ଅସ୍ତିତ୍ୱବୋଧ), ପରାଧୀନତା ଓ ଅଧୋଗତି—ଏହିସବୁ ଧର୍ମପତନର ଲକ୍ଷଣ; ଏମାନେ ଜୀବକୁ ସତ୍ପଥରୁ ଦୂରେ ଟାଣିନେଇଯାନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• अनार्जवम्: dishonesty, lack of straightforwardness
• अनार्जवम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनार्जव
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• असंज्ञत्वम्: unconsciousness, insensibility
• असंज्ञत्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: असंज्ञत्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• कर्म: action, deed
• कर्म: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• पापम्: sinful, evil
• पापम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अचेतना: unconscious, without awareness
• अचेतना: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचेतन
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• गुरुत्वम्: heaviness; gravity; importance
• गुरुत्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरुत्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सन्नभावत्वम्: the state of being existent/real (sat-bhāva)
• सन्नभावत्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्नभावत्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अवशित्वम्: lack of control, helplessness
• अवशित्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवशित्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अवाग्गतिः: downward course/fall; degradation
• अवाग्गतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवाग्गति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse lists inner and behavioral traits—dishonesty, heedlessness, sinful action, dullness, inertia, helplessness, and a downward trajectory—as interconnected causes and symptoms of ethical and spiritual degeneration. It warns that when awareness and self-mastery weaken, actions become pāpa and the person’s course tends toward decline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is speaking in a didactic mode, enumerating qualities that characterize a fall from noble (ārya) conduct. Rather than describing an external event, the passage functions as moral instruction within the Ashvamedhika Parva’s broader reflective discourse.