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Shloka 27

अध्यात्म-तत्त्व-निर्णयः

Adhyātma Taxonomy: Elements, Faculties, and Guṇas

यद्यजस््रं समागच्छेद्‌ यथा बाणो गुणच्युत:

yadyajasraṃ samāgacched yathā bāṇo guṇacyutaḥ

Vyāsa disse: “Ainda que alguém voltasse a reunir-se repetidas vezes, seria como uma flecha que escorregou da corda do arco”—um símile que sugere que, perdido o vínculo sustentador ou a disciplina, o esforço reiterado fica sem verdadeiro controle e não alcança com segurança o alvo.

यद्which/that (what)
यद्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसक, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
यजस्रम्continually, incessantly
यजस्रम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootयजस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसक, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
समागच्छेत्should come together/should reach
समागच्छेत्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + आ + गम् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम, एकवचन
यथाas, just as
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा (अव्यय)
बाणःarrow
बाणः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootबाण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
गुणच्युतःreleased from the bowstring
गुणच्युतः:
TypeAdjective
Rootगुणच्युत (प्रातिपदिक; च्युत = √च्यु (to fall) क्त)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

व्यास उवाच

V
Vyāsa
A
arrow (bāṇa)
B
bowstring (guṇa)

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches that without the sustaining ‘string’ of discipline, restraint, or proper connection, repeated attempts at reunion or action become ineffective—like an arrow no longer guided by the bowstring, unable to be directed toward its rightful goal.

Vyāsa uses a compact simile within the Śānti Parva’s ethical instruction: he compares a situation of repeated coming together (or repeated effort) to an arrow that has slipped from the bowstring, emphasizing loss of control and purposive direction.