Shloka 109
Dharma-vyādha’s Analysis of Moral Decline and the Mahābhūta–Guṇa Schema (धर्मव्याधोपदेशः)
Devanagari script
आत्मना विप्रहीणानि काष्ठकुड्योपमानि च । विनश्यन्ति न संदेह: फेनानीव महार्णवे
Transliteration
ātmanā viprahīṇāni kāṣṭha-kuḍyopamāni ca | vinaśyanti na saṁdehaḥ phenānīva mahārṇave ||
Translation
ஆத்மா இன்றியவர்கள் மரச்சுவர் போன்ற வெற்றுச் சாரமற்றவர்கள்; அவர்கள் நிச்சயமாக அழிவர்—பெருங்கடலில் எழும் நுரை போல மறைந்து போவர்.
Word by Word
आत्मनाby/with the self
आत्मना:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन्
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
विप्रहीणानिdevoid of a wise man (vipra)
विप्रहीणानि:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootविप्रहीण
FormNeuter, Nominative, Plural
काष्ठकुड्योपमानिcomparable to wooden walls
काष्ठकुड्योपमानि:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootकाष्ठकुड्योपमान
FormNeuter, Nominative, Plural
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
विनश्यन्तिperish
विनश्यन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootनश्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
संदेहःdoubt
संदेहः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसंदेह
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
फेनानिfoams
फेनानि:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootफेन
FormNeuter, Nominative, Plural
इवlike
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
महार्णवेin the great ocean
महार्णवे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootमहार्णव
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
Speaker
युधिछिर उवाच
Characters & Entities
Y
YudhiṣṭhiraĀ
ātman (Self)K
kāṣṭha (wood)K
kuḍya (wall)P
phenāni (foam)M
mahārṇava (great ocean)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
A life lacking inner self-awareness and moral-spiritual grounding (ātman) is unstable and short-lived; such persons or endeavors collapse inevitably, as foam disappears on the ocean.
Yudhiṣṭhira reflects on the fragility of those who lack inner substance, using vivid similes—wooden walls and ocean-foam—to emphasize certain ruin and impermanence.