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Shloka 8

धर्मलक्षण-प्रश्नः (Marks and Sources of Dharma) | Chapter 251: Inquiry into the Definition of Dharma

श्मश्रु रोम च केशाश्व शिरा स्नायु च चर्म च । इन्द्रियं प्राणसंज्ञातं नासिकेत्यभिसंज्ञिता

śmaśru roma ca keśāś ca śirā snāyu ca carma ca | indriyaṁ prāṇasaṁjñātaṁ nāsikety abhisajñitā ||

వ్యాసుడు చెప్పెను—గడ్డం, రోమాలు, కేశాలు; శిరలు, స్నాయువులు, చర్మం; అలాగే ‘ప్రాణ’మని పిలువబడే ఇంద్రియం—ఇక్కడ ప్రత్యేకంగా నాసికతో అభిసంజ్ఞితమైంది—ఇవన్నీ ఇక్కడ పేర్కొనబడ్డాయి.

श्मश्रुbeard/moustache (facial hair)
श्मश्रु:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootश्मश्रु
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
रोमbody-hair
रोम:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootरोमन्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
केशाःhairs (of the head)
केशाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकेश
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
शिराःveins/vessels
शिराः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशिरा
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
स्नायवःsinews/ligaments
स्नायवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootस्नायु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
चर्मskin/hide
चर्म:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootचर्मन्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
इन्द्रियम्sense-organ/faculty
इन्द्रियम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootइन्द्रिय
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
प्राण-संज्ञातम्called/known as 'prāṇa'
प्राण-संज्ञातम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootप्राणसंज्ञात
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
नासिकाnose
नासिका:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनासिका
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
इतिthus/so (quotative)
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
अभि-संज्ञिताis designated/called
अभि-संज्ञिता:
TypeAdjective
Rootअभिसंज्ञित
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular

व्यास उवाच

V
Vyāsa
B
beard (śmaśru)
B
body-hair (roma)
H
head-hair (keśa)
V
veins (śirā)
S
sinews (snāyu)
S
skin (carma)
S
sense-faculty (indriya)
V
vital breath (prāṇa)
N
nose/nostril (nāsikā)

Educational Q&A

The verse itemizes bodily components and functions to emphasize that the body is a composite and perishable, while the true self should be understood as distinct from these parts; this supports ethical steadiness and detachment in dharma.

Vyāsa is explaining a reflective analysis of the body—listing hair, veins, sinews, skin, and the life-breath associated with the nose—as part of a broader instruction in Shānti Parva aimed at cultivating insight and dispassion.