Shloka 17

Mind as Charioteer; Kṣetrajña, Tapas, and Dhyāna-Yoga

Adhyātma-Upadeśa

Devanagari script

सहस्नेणापि दुर्मेधा न बुद्धिमधिगच्छति । चतुर्थेनाप्यथांशेन बुद्धिमान्‌ सुखमेधते

Transliteration

sahasreṇāpi durmedhā na buddhim adhigacchati | caturthenāpy athāṁśena buddhimān sukham edhate ||

Translation

Ваю сказал: Человек скудного разумения, хоть тысячу раз ни старайся, не достигает истинного различения; но мудрый, приложив лишь четверть того усилия, обретает понимание и тем процветает в благополучии. Стих утверждает: внутренняя пригодность и ясность ума важнее одной лишь меры труда.

Word by Word

• सहस्रेण: by a thousand (means/efforts)
• सहस्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• दुर्मेधा: a dull-witted person
• दुर्मेधा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्मेधा
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• बुद्धिम्: understanding/wisdom
• बुद्धिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अधिगच्छति: attains/obtains
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-गम्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• चतुर्थेन: by a fourth (part)
• चतुर्थेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अथ: then/and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• अंशेन: by a portion/part
• अंशेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंश
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• बुद्धिमान्: intelligent (person)
• बुद्धिमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुद्धिमत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुखम्: happiness/ease
• सुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एधते: thrives/prospers
• Type: Verb
• Root: एध्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that wisdom is not produced merely by multiplying external efforts; without sound intellect and receptivity, even great exertion may fail. Conversely, a discerning person needs comparatively little effort to grasp truth and thereby attain well-being.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is speaking as a moral instructor, offering a general maxim about discernment and effort. The statement functions as ethical counsel within the Ashvamedhika Parva’s reflective, didactic passages.