Shloka 13

Adhyāya 249 — Mṛtyu-prādurbhāvaḥ (The Manifestation of Death) / Restraint of Tejas and Ordered Saṃhāra

Devanagari script

लोभमोहतृणच्छन्नां कामक्रो धसरीसूपाम्‌ । सत्यतीर्थनृतक्षोभां क्रोधपड्कां सरिद्वराम्‌

Transliteration

lobha-moha-tṛṇa-channāṁ kāma-krodha-sarīsṛpām | satya-tīrtha-nṛta-kṣobhāṁ krodha-paṅkāṁ sarid-varām ||

Translation

ବ୍ୟାସ କହିଲେ—ସଂସାର-ନଦୀ ଭୟଙ୍କର, ସମସ୍ତ ଲୋକରେ ପ୍ରବାହିତ। ମନର ସଙ୍କଳ୍ପ ତାହାର ତଟ; ଲୋଭ ଓ ମୋହରୂପ ତୃଣ-ଶୈବାଳରେ ତାହା ଆବୃତ। କାମ ଓ କ୍ରୋଧ ତାହାରେ ସର୍ପ ପରି ବସନ୍ତି। ସତ୍ୟ ତାହାର ତୀର୍ଥ (ଘାଟ), ଅସତ୍ୟ ତାହାର କ୍ଷୋଭ; କ୍ରୋଧ ହିଁ ତାହାର କାଦ। ଏହା ପ୍ରବଳ ବେଗରେ ଜୀବକୁ ବହାଇ ନେଇଯାଏ; ଆତ୍ମାକୁ ଜିତିନଥିବାଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ଏହା ଦୁସ୍ତର, କିନ୍ତୁ ଶୁଦ୍ଧ ବିବେକରେ ପାର ହୋଇପାରେ।

Word by Word

• लोभ: by greed
• लोभ: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोभ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• मोह: by delusion
• मोह: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• तृण: with grass
• तृण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृण
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• छन्नाम्: covered
• छन्नाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छन्न (√छद्)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• काम: desire
• काम: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्रोध: anger
• क्रोध: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सरीसृपाम्: having reptiles/serpents (as inhabitants)
• सरीसृपाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरीसृप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सत्य: truth
• सत्य: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तीर्थ: ford/ghat
• तीर्थ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• नृत: by falsehood (untruth)
• नृत: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नृत (नृत = असत्य/अनृत)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• क्षोभाम्: turbulent/agitated
• क्षोभाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षोभ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• क्रोध: by anger
• क्रोध: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पङ्काम्: muddy
• पङ्काम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पङ्क
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सरित्: river
• सरित्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• वराम्: excellent/supreme
• वराम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• saṁsāra (the world-process, depicted as a river)
• kāma (desire)
• krodha (anger)
• lobha (greed)
• moha (delusion)
• satya (truth)
• nṛta (falsehood)
• tīrtha (ford/crossing)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Saṁsāra is portrayed as a dangerous river whose hidden grasses are greed and delusion, whose serpents are desire and anger, and whose mud is anger itself. Crossing becomes possible through self-conquest and purified discernment, with truth serving as the reliable ‘ford’.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on liberation and conduct, Vyāsa teaches through an extended metaphor: the human condition is like a river that sweeps beings along, and the listener is urged to cross it by cultivating truth, clarity, and mastery over the mind and passions.