Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

संसारसागरगमां योनिपातालदुस्तराम्‌ | आत्मकर्मोद्धवां तात जिद्नावर्ता दुरासदाम्‌

Transliteration

saṃsārasāgaragamāṃ yonipātāladustarām | ātmakarmoddhavāṃ tāta jihvāvartāṃ durāsadām ||

Translation

ବ୍ୟାସ କହିଲେ—ତାତ! ଏହି ସଂସାର-ଧାରା ସଂସାର-ସାଗରରେ ମିଶିଯାଏ; ଏହାର ଗଭୀରତା ଯୋନି ଓ ପାତାଳ ସମାନ, ତେଣୁ ଏହାକୁ ପାର କରିବା ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ କଠିନ। ଏହା ନିଜ କର୍ମରୁ ହିଁ ଉତ୍ପନ୍ନ; ଜିହ୍ୱା (ରସ-ଲାଲସା) ଏହାର ଆବର୍ତ୍ତ, ଏବଂ ଏହାକୁ ନିକଟ କରିବା ମଧ୍ୟ ବିପଦଜନକ। ଶୁଦ୍ଧ ବୁଦ୍ଧି ଓ ଆତ୍ମସଂଯମରେ ମାତ୍ର ମନୁଷ୍ୟ ଏହାକୁ ପାର କରି କ୍ଷେମତୀରକୁ ପହଞ୍ଚେ।

Word by Word

• संसार: worldly existence
• संसार: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative/Accusative (in compound base), Singular

• सागर: ocean
• सागर: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative/Accusative (in compound base), Singular

• गमाम्: going to / leading to
• गमाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम (गमन)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• योनि: womb; source; origin
• योनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि
• Form: Feminine, Nominative/Accusative (in compound base), Singular

• पाताल: netherworld
• पाताल: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (in compound base), Singular

• दुस्तराम्: hard to cross
• दुस्तराम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुस्तर
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आत्म: self
• आत्म: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative/Accusative (in compound base), Singular

• कर्म: action; deed
• कर्म: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (in compound base), Singular

• उद्भवाम्: arisen from; produced by
• उद्भवाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्भव (उद्+भू)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• तात: dear one; son (voc.)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• जिह्न: crooked; oblique
• जिह्न: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जिह्न
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (in compound base), Singular

• आवर्ता: whirlpool; eddy
• आवर्ता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आवर्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दुरासदाम्: hard to approach/overcome
• दुरासदाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुरासद
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• saṃsāra (worldly existence)
• saṃsāra-sāgara (ocean of saṃsāra)
• jihvā (tongue) as a metaphorical whirlpool
• karma (action)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Worldly bondage is self-created through one’s own karma and cravings; sense-driven appetite (symbolized by the tongue) becomes a whirlpool that drags one back into saṃsāra. The remedy implied is purification of intellect, restraint, and disciplined living aimed at liberation.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction-oriented setting, Vyāsa addresses a listener affectionately (“tāta”) and teaches through a vivid allegory: saṃsāra is a terrifying river leading into the ocean of continued existence, difficult to cross because of inner forces like craving and habit.