Shloka 42

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

Adhyātma-Upadeśa

Devanagari script

इष्टश्वानिष्टगन्धश्व मधुरो5म्ल: कटुस्तथा | निहरि संहतः स्निग्धो रूक्षो विशद एव च

Transliteration

iṣṭaśvān iṣṭagandhaś ca madhuro 'mlaḥ kaṭus tathā | nihari saṃhataḥ snigdho rūkṣo viśada eva ca ||

Translation

వాయుదేవుడు అన్నాడు—ఇష్టమైనవీ అనిష్టమైనవీ అయిన సువాసనలు ఉన్నాయి; మధురం, ఆమ్లం, కటువు వంటి రుచులూ ఉన్నాయి. అలాగే స్వచ్ఛత, సాంద్రత, స్నిగ్ధత, రూక్షత, పవిత్రత వంటి గుణాలూ ఉంటాయి.

Word by Word

• इष्ट: pleasant, desirable
• इष्ट: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट (इष्-धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• श्वा: smell/odor
• श्वा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वन्
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अनिष्ट: unpleasant, undesirable
• अनिष्ट: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनिष्ट (इष्-धातोः क्त, नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गन्ध: smell, fragrance/odor
• गन्ध: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• मधुरः: sweet
• मधुरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधुर
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अम्लः: sour
• अम्लः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अम्ल
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कटुः: pungent, bitter
• कटुः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कटु
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तथा: likewise, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• निहतः: struck down, subdued
• निहतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निहत (नि+हन्-धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• संहतः: compact, well-knit, consolidated
• संहतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संहत (सम्+हन्-धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्निग्धः: unctuous, oily, smooth
• स्निग्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्निग्ध
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• रूक्षः: dry, rough
• रूक्षः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूक्ष
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विशदः: clear, pure, bright
• विशदः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशद
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वायुदेव (Vāyudeva)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse catalogs sensory and material qualities—taste, fragrance, and texture-like attributes—suggesting a reflective, analytical approach to experience. In ethical-didactic context, such enumeration supports discernment (viveka): understanding how qualities arise and affect the mind helps one regulate desire and aversion rather than be driven by them.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is speaking in a didactic passage, listing various tastes and qualities as part of an explanatory discourse. The narration pauses from action to instruction, using classification of qualities to illuminate a broader point about perception, disposition, or the nature of embodied experience.