Shloka 47
अव्यक्त-मानस-सृष्टिवादः
Doctrine of Creation from the Unmanifest ‘Mānasa’
Devanagari script
पूर्वदेहकृतं कर्म शुभं वा यदि वाशुभम् । प्राज्ञ मूं तथा शूरं भजते यादृशं कृतम्
Transliteration
pūrvadehakṛtaṃ karma śubhaṃ vā yadi vāśubham | prājñaṃ mūṃ tathā śūraṃ bhajate yādṛśaṃ kṛtam ||
Translation
पूर्वदेहकृतं कर्म शुभं वा यदि वाशुभम्। प्राज्ञं मूढं तथा शूरं भजते यादृशं कृतम्॥
Word by Word
पूर्वदेहकृतम्done in a former body (previous life)
पूर्वदेहकृतम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootपूर्वदेहकृत
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
कर्मdeed, action
कर्म:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मन्
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
शुभम्good, auspicious
शुभम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootशुभ
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
वाor
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा
यदिif
यदि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयदि
वाor
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा
अशुभम्bad, inauspicious
अशुभम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअशुभ
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
प्राज्ञम्a wise (man)
प्राज्ञम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootप्राज्ञ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
वाor
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा
मूढम्a foolish (man)
मूढम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootमूढ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
तथाlikewise, so
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
शूरम्a hero, brave man
शूरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootशूर
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
भजतेattains, befalls, partakes of
भजते:
TypeVerb
Rootभज्
FormPresent, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada
यादृशम्such as, of what kind
यादृशम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootयादृश
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
कृतम्done
कृतम्:
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
Formक्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
Speaker
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Characters & Entities
ब
ब्राह्मण (the Brahmin speaker)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches the inevitability of karmic fruition: actions done in a previous life—good or bad—ripen into corresponding experiences, regardless of one’s present intelligence, ignorance, or valor.
In the Shanti Parva’s didactic discourse, a Brahmin speaker explains a principle of moral order: the outcomes people face are shaped by prior deeds, emphasizing ethical responsibility across lifetimes.