Shloka 146

The Thirteen Inner Adversaries (Trayodaśa Doṣāḥ): Origins and Pacification

Devanagari script

पश्यमानस्तदा55त्मानमसमं मातरिश्वना । उस समय सेमलने वायुके द्वारा जो कुछ किया जानेवाला था, उसपर मन-ही-मन विचार करके तथा अपने आपको वायुके समान बलवान्‌ न देखकर सोचा--

Transliteration

paśyamānas tadātmānam asamaṃ mātariśvanā |

Translation

Bhishma disse: “Então, refletindo intimamente sobre o que o Vento (Mātariśvan) estava prestes a realizar e vendo-se incapaz de igualar, em força, aquele poder formidável, pensou consigo mesmo…”.

Word by Word

• पश्यमानः: seeing, observing
• पश्यमानः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश्यत् (√दृश्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• तदा: then, at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• आत्मानम्: himself, the self
• आत्मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• असमम्: unequal, not matching (in strength)
• असमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असम (a-sam)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मातरिश्वना: by Mātariśvan (the Wind-god)
• मातरिश्वना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातरिश्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Mātariśvan (Vāyu)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights prudent self-knowledge: before acting, one should realistically assess one’s own capacity and the power of opposing forces, and let that assessment guide ethical decision-making rather than pride.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s narration, a figure anticipates an action to be carried out by the Wind (Mātariśvan/Vāyu). Observing that he is not equal to the Wind in strength, he deliberates internally and prepares to respond accordingly.