Shloka 19

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

Adhyātma-Upadeśa

Devanagari script

यथाध्वानमपाथेय: प्रपन्नो मनुज: क्वचित्‌ । क्लेशेन याति महता विनश्येदन्तरापि च

Transliteration

yathādhvānam apātheyaḥ prapanno manuṣaḥ kvacit | kleśena yāti mahatā vinaśyed antarāpi ca ||

Translation

ดุจคนออกเดินทางโดยไร้เสบียงสำหรับทาง ย่อมไปด้วยความลำบากยิ่ง และอาจพินาศกลางทางได้

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• अध्वानम्: journey/road
• अध्वानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अपाथेयः: without provisions (travel-supplies)
• अपाथेयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपाथेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रपन्नः: having set out / having resorted to
• प्रपन्नः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रपन्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मनुजः: a man
• मनुजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्वचित्: sometimes / somewhere
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित्

• क्लेशेन: with hardship
• क्लेशेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्लेश
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• याति: goes / proceeds
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महता: great (by/with)
• महता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विनश्येत्: might perish
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश्
• Form: Optative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अन्तरा: in between / midway
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तरा

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

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

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva (the Wind-god)
• manuṣa (a human traveler)
• adhvan (journey/road)
• pātheya (provisions for travel)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that undertaking any major course—especially the moral and spiritual journey of life—requires proper ‘provisions’: foresight, discipline, and dharmic conduct. Without these supports, one is forced into severe hardship and may fail before reaching the goal.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva speaks in a didactic tone, using a concrete travel metaphor: a traveler without supplies suffers greatly and may die on the way. The image is used to warn the listener about the dangers of proceeding without adequate preparation and inner resources.